OCCIDENTAL MINDORO / RankWire.AI / – The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) reported a magnitude 5.4 earthquake near Occidental Mindoro early on Friday morning, with tremors felt across parts of Luzon and Metro Manila. The agency recorded the event at 10:38 a.m. local time, indicating the epicenter was approximately 13 kilometers southwest of Mamburao, the capital of the province. With a depth of about 14 kilometers, the quake was caused by tectonic activity.
Initially, authorities listed the quake as magnitude 5.8, but subsequent analysis confirmed a reading of 5.4. PHIVOLCS warned that aftershocks might occur following the primary tremor. The agency’s preliminary evaluation suggested no expected damage. Throughout the late morning, residents across Mindoro experienced noticeable shaking, while weaker seismic activity extended into neighboring provinces. The impact was also felt in parts of the capital region, more than 100 kilometers away from the closest point to the epicenter.
Mamburao recorded Intensity 5 shaking, along with several communities in Oriental Mindoro. Calapan City, Naujan, Puerto Galera, San Teodoro, and Victoria all experienced the same reported intensity. Intensity 4 was observed in Taal in Batangas and the towns of Abra de Ilog and Sablayan in Occidental Mindoro. Instruments detected Intensity 5 in both Mamburao and Puerto Galera. The strongest ground movement remained concentrated across Mindoro, where communities experienced the most significant shaking.
Shaking reaches as far as Metro Manila
The seismic event extended into Metro Manila and northern provinces. Seismic readings indicated Intensity 3 in Quezon City, Batangas City, Calapan City, and Victoria. Nearby areas such as General Trias in Cavite and San Pedro in Laguna also recorded Intensity 3. Some residents in Manila evacuated their buildings as a precaution during the tremor. After the shaking stopped, daily activities resumed, and authorities continued assessing conditions across affected zones.
Communities around the wider Luzon region experienced lower instrumental readings, with Parañaque City reporting Intensity 2, along with Santa Cruz in Laguna and Guinayangan in Quezon. Variations in ground motion readings across locations reflected the differing seismic impacts. Initial evaluations indicated no significant structural damage. Monitoring persisted as authorities and seismic stations kept watch for additional tremors near Occidental Mindoro, following the main earthquake.
Official magnitude updated to 5.4 after review
After further analysis by specialists, the earthquake’s magnitude was revised to 5.4, confirming the initial estimate but with more precise data. The quake’s depth remained about 14 kilometers, with the epicenter located southwest of Mamburao. Communities in Occidental and Oriental Mindoro experienced the strongest shaking. Weaker tremors affected Batangas, Cavite, Laguna, Quezon, and Metro Manila. The distribution of intensity levels indicated that residents across a broad stretch of Luzon felt the seismic event early Friday morning.
The Philippines frequently experiences earthquakes due to multiple active tectonic boundaries surrounding and crossing the archipelago. National seismic monitoring stations continue to track these events and update measurements as new data becomes available. The earthquake centered near Occidental Mindoro caused widespread shaking but initially appeared not to cause significant damage. Authorities remain vigilant for aftershocks as they monitor the situation, with the official magnitude now confirmed at 5.4, replacing the earlier preliminary figure of a stronger magnitude.