BY ELLALYN DE VERA-RUIZ
A 5.0-magnitude earthquake shook Occidental Mindoro on Tuesday morning.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) recorded the quake around 7:24 a.m. and traced its epicenter at 58 kilometers southwest of San Jose, Occidental Mindoro.
It was initially measured as a 4.8-magnitude earthquake.
San Jose, Occidental Mindoro felt the quake as a moderately strong one at Intensity 4.
Phivolcs’ instrument also detected the tremor as an Intensity 3 earthquake in San Jose; Intensity 2 in Roxas, Oriental Mindoro and Sebaste, Antique; and Intensity 1 in Jamindan, Capiz.
It said the quake was tectonic in origin, which means the tremor was caused by the movement of an active fault in the area.
Likewise, the tremor was shallow at a depth of 17 kilometers, thus the strong shaking. Phivolcs said aftershocks are likely to occur. (Ellalyn de Vera-Ruiz)