LAOAG CITY, March 12 — A moderately strong earthquake with a strength of 5.2 magnitude in the ritcher scale rocked the provinces in Ilocos and Cagayan Valley regions on Saturday noon time here, a report from the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said.
Local Phivolcs Researcher Porferio De Peralta said the 5.2 magnitude quake occurred at exactly 12:00 noon Saturday with epicenter located at 40 kilometers northwest of Laoag City with a depth of 10 kilometers.
Initially, he said that intensity 5 was felt in Laoag City, Sarrat, Paoay and Pasuquin; all in Ilocos Norte; and Burgos, Ilocos Sur; intensity 4 in Vigan City, Ilocos Sur; and intensity 3 in Sinait, Ilocos Sur; and Pamplona, Cagayan. It was reported that the quake was lasted for a more than one minute.
“The tremor was tectonic in origin and it may caus aftershock,” De Peralta said.
He said his staff are closely monitoring the affected provinces to know any damages caused by the earthquake. (Freddie G. Lazaro/PIA- Ilocos Norte)