Magnitude 6.1 earthquake jolts Luzon

A powerful earthquake struck the central part of Luzon on Monday afternoon.

The earthquake, tectonic of origin, had its epicenter 18 kilometers northeast of Castillejos, Zambales at 5:11 p.m. according PHIVOLCS, which upgraded its  magnitude to 6.1 after initially recording a magnitude 5.7 quake.

UPDATE: Magnitude 5.7 quake upgraded to Magnitude 6.1 | via @phivolcs_dost pic.twitter.com/dxFPdEIvIg

— GMA News (@gmanews) April 22, 2019

According to PHIVOLCS, 5.7 was the local magnitude intensity, with the 6.1 reading taking into account global data.

Intensity V was reported in San Felipe, Zambales; Malolos and Obando, Bulacan; Quezon City; Lipa, Batangas; Manila; Abucay, Bataan; Valenzuela City; and Magalang Pampanga.

The earthquake also affected the following areas:

• Intensity IV - Pasig City; Makati City; Caloocan City; Meycauayan and San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan; Floridablanca, Pampanga; Villasis, Pangasinan; Tagaytay City; Villasis, Pangasinan; Baguio City; Marikina City; Las Pinas City
   

• Intensity III - Dasmarinas, Indang and Gen. Trias, Cavite; Lucban, Quezon; Muntinlupa City, Cabanatuan City; Palayan City; Gapan City; Santo Domingo and Talavera, Nueva Ecija

• Intensity II - Baler, Aurora

PHIVOLCS Deputy Director Bart Bautista said at least 17 aftershocks have been recorded, with more possible over the week. The agency said it is not expecting major infrastructure damage but is still awaiting report from areas near the epicenter.

"Usually ang aftershocks, confined sila sa epicenter, kung saan malapit 'yun. Hindi sila lumalayo... sa Metro Manila ma-eexperience lang natin 'yung mga ground shaking," Bautista said in an interview on 24 Oras.

"Wag tayo mag-panic... hintayin natin na huminto 'yung ground shaking bago tayo lumabas," he added.

The 6.1 magnitude earthquake is not expected to generate a tsunami because its epicenter was on land.

"Para maka-generate tayo ng tsunami, dapat malaki 'yung magnitude natin, 6.5 pataas," Bautista said.

Officials from the Department of Science and Technology advised people to remain vigilant on Monday night for possible after-effects of the earthquake.

PHIVOLCS has not ruled out the possibility that this earthquake could be a precursor to a stronger one.

"Hindi natin pwedeng i-discount 'yung possibility na 'to, so kailangan ng masusing pag-iingat talaga especially kapag malapit tayo doon sa epicenter," Bautista said.

Metro Manila

Around the National Capital Region, workers flocked out of office towers and apartment buildings and into open spaces after feeling the effects of the quake.

IN PHOTOS, VIDEO: How people around Metro Manila reacted to the big earthquake

Operations of the LRT-1, LRT-2, and MRT-3 were suspended in the quake's aftermath, as were those of the Philippine National Railways. —JST, GMA News