General Santos, Mindanao quake upgraded to magnitude 7.8

MANILA, Philippines (2nd update 8:54 a.m.) — Phivolcs upgraded the powerful earthquake that struck off southern Mindanao on Monday morning, June 8, to magnitude 7.8, warning the public of aftershocks and a possible tsunami after the offshore tremor.

In a bulletin, the state seismology agency said the quake was recorded 7:37 a.m. at a depth of 33 kilometers and was located 32 kilometers south, 4 degrees west of Maasim, Sarangani.

The earlier bulletin placed the destructive quake at magnitude 7.0, with the epicenter off General Santos City.

Phivolcs said the ground shaking was felt in the following areas:

• Intensity 7 (destructive) — General Santos City
• Intensity 6 (very strong) — Palimbang and Sen. Ninoy Aquino in Sultan Kudarat.
• Intensity 5 (strong) — Davao City; Kidapawan and Carmen in Cotabato; Bagumbayan, Kalamansig and President Quirino in Sultan Kudarat; and Sibuco and Siocon in Zamboanga del Norte.
• Intensity 4 (moderately strong) — Mati City in Davao Oriental; Buug in Zamboanga Sibugay; and Caraga, Manay and Tarragona in Davao Oriental.

Weaker shaking was also reported in parts of Surigao del Norte, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, Leyte, Southern Leyte, Bukidnon, Misamis Oriental and Cagayan de Oro.

Instrumental intensities were recorded as high as Intensity 8 in Malapatan, Sarangani, while Intensity 7 was recorded in Koronadal City, South Cotabato and Santa Maria, Davao Occidental. Instrumental Intensity 6 was recorded in General Santos City and T’boli, South Cotabato. — reports from Anj Andaya and John Marwin Elao