2 Moderate Quakes Jolt Davao Oriental

(PNA) — Two moderate earthquakes struck Davao Oriental province on Monday morning, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said.

In its bulletin, the agency said the first quake with a magnitude of 3.9 occurred at 1:48 a.m. with its epicenter traced 79 kilometers southeast of Tarragona in Davao Oriental.

Phivolcs said the tectonic quake had a depth of 27 kilometers.

At 8:17 a.m., another tremor with a magnitude of 4.2 hit the province again.

Its epicenter was estimated 15 kilometers southwest of Governor Generoso in Davao Oriental.

Phivolcs said the quake, which was also tectonic in origin, had a depth of 24 kilometers.

No reported intensities and no damage was reported from both tremors, the agency noted.

It added that no aftershocks were also expected from the said quakes.

Phivolcs earlier said that an average of 20 earthquakes hit the country daily since the Philippines lies on the Pacific Ring of Fire, where earthquakes and volcanic eruptions are frequent due to friction between shifting tectonic plates.

However, the agency noted that most of these tremors are imperceptible. (PNA) FPV/CLTC