Strong quake shakes Metro Manila, parts of Luzon Tonette Orejas Joel Guinto InquirerINQUIRER.net
November 27, 2007
MANILA, Philippines -- (UPDATE 5) A magnitude 6 earthquake shook parts of Luzon, including Metro Manila Tuesday, sending people fleeing into the streets, seismologists and witnesses said.
The US Geological Survey said the strong quake, which struck at 12:27 p.m., was centered 45 kilometers west of Dagupan and 195 kilometers northwest of Manila at a depth of 62.5 kilometers.
There were no immediate reports of damage or injury.
Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) chief Renato Solidum said the earthquake was located slightly offshore, 77 kilometers northwest of Lingayen town, Pangasinan province.
The quake was also felt in Baguio City, La Union, and Pampanga, Solidum said.
The earthquake was tectonic in origin, caused by the movement of the Manila Trench, Solidum said.
He said the quake was too weak to cause a tsunami on the western seaboard.
In Manila, witnesses and radio reports said some office buildings emptied as people rushed outside when the structures began to sway.
The city's light railway system also stopped briefly.
The Philippine Daily Inquirer reported that the tremor was felt in the cities of Makati, Manila and Pasig, especially by tenants of high-rise buildings.
Malacaņang, Senate, and Government Service Insurance System employees evacuated their buildings during the earthquake, according to INQUIRER.net in separate reports.
But Senator Juan Ponce-Enrile was undeterred as he proceeded with the floor debates on the proposed 2008 budget.
On Monday, a 2.8 magnitude earthquake struck 18 kilometers southwest of Batangas City, Phivolcs said.
The Philippines sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire, a zone of frequent earthquakes and volcanic activity.
With reports from Veronica Uy, Lira D. Fernandez, INQUIRER.net; AFP; Originally posted at 12:49pm
