Laoag City (CNN Philippines) — A 5.0 magnitude earthquake struck six kilometers southeast of Batac City, Ilocos Norte around 8:56 p.m. last night (July 5).
According to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS), the said quake was tectonic in origin and had a 40-kilometer depth.
At around 9:12 p.m., a magnitude 4.3 aftershock with 22 kilometers depth occurred northwest of Marcos, Ilocos Norte.
The two temblors generated a tsunami scare at the coastal barangays of Laoag City which prompted some of the residents to leave their houses last night.
According to residents of Gabu Norte West, Gabu Norte East and Gabu Sur, seconds before the first quake, they heard rumblings from the sea which became louder as the tremor took place.
Some of them hurriedly left their homes and proceeded to the poblacion of Laoag, but went back to their own barangays at least an hour after the earthquakes.
Lilibeth Gaydowen, Regional Corporate Communication and Public Affairs officer of the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP), said power transmission service remain normal despite the earthquakes.
“The Luzon grid remains intact as there had been no reported cases of damaged transmission facilities in Ilocos Norte and nearby areas where the quakes were felt,” said Gaydowen.
She explained that if there are power interruptions, they are caused by line problems in the electric cooperatives.
Meanwhile, Jun Arvin Gudoy, head of the Communications and Media Office of the Ilocos Norte Provincial Government, announced that the typhoon and earthquakes have not resulted in any significant damage.
“Although the rain, wind and earthquakes did not bring significant damage, in compliance with Executive Order 66, classes are automatically canceled from preschool to high school today (July 6),” said Gudoy.
