COTABATO CITY, (PNA) –The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) Cotabato City Station has reminded the general public to always on guard and never ignore government sponsored earthquake drills.
Engr. Renier Amilbajar, Phivolcs Cotabato seismologist, said no instrument has been found as of yet that will determine when and where an earthquake will occur.
The Phivolcs reminders came after a magnitude 6 that hit the province of Sultan Kudarat Sunday night.
The quake that also jolted parts of Mindanao was due to the movement of a trench beneath the sea off Palimbang, Sultan Kudarat.
The earthquake that occurred at 7:45 p.m. was too deep, about 500 kilometers down, to trigger a tsunami, Amilbajar said.
Its epicenter was 195 kilometers southwest of the coastal town of Palimbang.
The quake was felt at Intensity 3 in Malita, Davao del Sur, and at intensity 2 in Davao City.
Amilbajar said the movement of sea bed in Sunday night’s tremor was part of the Cotabato trench. He said the possibility of similar movement will occur but could not say as to when.
He said the best instrument is being prepared all the time.
The Cotabato trench became known after the Intensity 7.9 earthquake in 1979 traced by volcanologists in the Moro Gulf.
Amilbajar said some people ignore earthquake drills being sponsored by the departments of science and technology and of education, among other government agencies thus when the day comes many are injured and even perished.
The basics in being prepared is not to panic and immediately seek cover.
A powerful earthquake also hit Visayas last month killing about 200 persons and damaged private and government infrastructures.