Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 2) – A magnitude 5.6 earthquake hit the waters east of Hernani in Eastern Samar at 2:50 p.m. on Thursday, state seismologists said.
It was first pegged as magnitude 6.1, but the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) downgraded it to 5.6 an hour after the initial report.
Phivolcs said damage and aftershocks are expected, but there was no threat of tsunami.
The tremors were detected in the waters 51 kilometers northeast of Eastern Samar.
Shaking was felt in the following areas:
Intensity V (strong) – Hernani and Llorente, EASTERN SAMAR
Intensity IV (moderately strong) – Gen. MacArthur, Balangkayan, Maydolong, Salcedo and City of Borongan, EASTERN SAMAR
Intensity III (weak) – Quinapondan, San Julian, Sulat, Taft, Mercedes, Guiuan, Giporlos, Lawaan and Balangiga, EASTERN SAMAR; City of Tacloban, LEYTE
Intensity II (slightly felt) – Can-avid, Dolores, Oras, San Policarpo; Palo, Tanauan, Dulag, Babatngon, San Miguel, Pastrana, Barugo, Carigara, Tabontabon and Julita, LEYTE; Basey and Santa Rita, SAMAR
Meanwhile, Phivolcs recorded the following instrumental intensities, or machine-detected shaking, in these areas:
Intensity II (slightly felt) – Quinapondan, Can-Avid, EASTERN SAMAR; Villaba, Abuyog, Calubian, Carigara, and Leyte, LEYTE.
Intensity I (scarcely perceptible) – Mahaplag, Javier, Hilongos, LEYTE; Rosario, NORTHERN SAMAR; Hinunangan, SOUTHERN LEYTE.
Phivolcs said it has recorded a series of smaller tremors, possibly aftershocks, in Hernani, Eastern Samar just minutes after the magnitude 6.1 earthquake:
They were recorded at magnitude 3.9 followed by magnitudes 3.1, 3.8 and 3.9 between 2:53 p.m. and 3:24 p.m.
Another small tremor of magnitude 2.4 was detected nearby in Borongan, Eastern Samar at 3:20 p.m.
