Earthquakes

[Grim]

The tectonic plates in the Pacific region sure have been active recently. There was that earthquake in Samoa a couple of weeks ago, then now this.

Intensity 5.3 quake hits Occ. Mindoro, no tsunami alert

MANILA - A 5.3 magnitude earthquake shook parts of Mamburao, Occidental Mindoro Monday morning and was felt as far as Metro Manila.

A Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology report said the tectonic quake struck at 7:50 a.m. It was felt at Intensity IV in Looc, Lubang; Intensity III in Batangas City; Iba, Zambales and Clark, Pampanga; and Intensity II in Talisay, Batangas, Calamba, Laguna, Makati, Manila, Pasay, Pasig. Muntinlupa, Mandaluyong and Cavite.

Phivolcs Director Renato Solidum said the agency will not be issuing a tsunami alert.

"The magnitude of the quake was only 5.3. Typically for a tsunami to be generated by an earthquake, it should have a magnitude of 6.5 and the depth should be shallow enough -- less than 50 kilometers. The magnitudeof this earthquake was not that strong and the depth of the earthquake was deep at 121 km so this cannot trigger any tsunami," Solidum said in an ANC interview.

He said the agency does not expect the earthquake to cause any damage but warned that aftershocks may occur.

Plus, I'm sure some of you have heard what people have been saying that there's a big one coming to the Marikina fault line area. They say it's going to be around 7.1 or something. I know predictions about earthquakes are spotty at best, but it's good to at least be ready.