Magnitude 6.3 earthquake rocks northern PHL areas, including Manila

MAGNITUDE 6.3 earthquake rocked northern parts of the Philippines Thursday morning, the country’s seismology agency said, but no casualties have been reported as of writing.

The tremor struck at a depth of 10 kilometers in waters off Calatagan town in Batangas province, jolting nearby provinces and parts of Metro Manila.

The quake recorded at 10:19 a.m. affected train operations in the capital region and forced workers to evacuate offices.

Aly Tan, a 23-year-old professional working in Metro Manila, was inside her condo unit when the quake struck at 10:19 am.

“Everything was shaking but the (building’s) alarm didn’t go off. I think for the same reason, no one evacuated the premises,” she said in a Viber message.

Upon arriving at her employer’s office, Ms. Tan saw that everyone had evacuated the building and were waiting in open areas.

“I was let in by the guard who told me that the situation had improved,” she said.

“According to my co-workers, there was no official evacuation at the office as the alarm didn’t sound off,” she said. “Nonetheless, all workers went out to the field to ensure safety.”

Unlike other workers, Ms. Tan does not rely on train services to get to work.

Major train lines in Metro Manila — including Light Rail Transit  Lines 1 and 2, among others — suspended operations after the quake.

In LRT-1 for instance, a stop for safety was enforced at around 10:30 a.m. The line resumed normal operations at 11:10 am “after visual checking of tracks and catenary personnel,” according to the Presidential Communications Office (PCO).

At the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3), cracks were observed at the footbridge in Boni Station in Mandaluyong City.

The MRT-3 management was also “double-checking” cracks found at Ayala Station, the PCO said. Debris was also found at the southbound stairway of Magallanes Station.

Transportation Assistant Secretary for Railways and MRT-3 officer-in-charge Jorjette B. Aquino said in a separate statement that the cracks found at the Boni and Ayala Stations were considered minor and “will not pose any danger to the public and the MRT-3 operations.”

“As a safety protocol, since cracks were observed, I directed the MRT-3 operations, maintenance and engineering personnel together with Oriental Consultants Global (OCG), the MRT-3’s consultant, to conduct an in-depth inspection,” she said.

Normal operations at the MRT-3 line resumed at 11:35 a.m.

Operations of the state-run Philippine National Railways, which had been flagged in previous years for poor maintenance and services, were only resumed at around 12:30 in the afternoon.

The tremor also prompted airport management teams across the country to do inspection activities.

At the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), the country’s main gateway, runways and taxiways were closed for inspection but did not affect departure and arrival operations, the Department of Transportation said in a statement.

Separately, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) said that as of 11:55 a.m. on Thursday, no damage have been reported from the Calapan Airport, Clark Tower, Jomalig Airport, Lubang Airport, Mamburao Airport, Pinamalayan Airport, Sangley Airport, San Jose Airport, and Subic Tower/Airport.

“With damages and aftershocks expected following the earthquake, the CAAP Operations Center shall continue to closely monitor activity in all its airports and facilities.”

The seismology agency was expecting damage and aftershocks.

The Philippines lies in a belt of volcanoes and fault lines around the Pacific Ocean where most of the world’s earthquakes strike.

Incidentally, 32 years ago on June 15, Mount Pinatubo, one of the most active volcanoes in the Philippines, erupted, resulting in volcanic hazards that affected more than 200,000 families, including indigenous Aeta communities.

It was one of the largest eruptions of the 20th century, according to the Department of Science and Technology.

The department, which oversees the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology and other agencies that monitor natural calamities, has been pushing for budget increases. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza