Philvocs: Magnitude 4.5 quake hits Panay Island

BY BOY RYAN B. ZABAL

KALIBO, Aklan - A magnitude 4.0 quake rocked parts of Panay on Thursday morning and was felt as far as Negros Occidental, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Philvocs).

The quake was recorded at 10:17 a.m. and was tectonic in origin. No damage or aftershocks was expected.

The epicenter was traced 22 kms south of the capital town of San Jose de Buenavista in Antique province.

Philvocs bulletin said the quake was felt at Intensity IV in San Remegio and Valderrama in Antique, Intensity III in San Jose de Buenavista, Hamtic, Barbaza, Sebaste, Sibalom, Pandan, Culasi, Guimbal, Patnongon and Libertad in Antique and the City of Iloilo.

Intensity II in Baratoc Nuevo, Bingayan, New Lucena, Oton and Leon in Iloilo province and Lezo, New Washington, Malay and the capital of Kalibo in Aklan province. The quake was also felt at Intensity I in Bacolod City and Sipalay in Negros Occidental.

The United States Geological Survey (USGS), meanwhile, measured the quake at 4.9 magnitude at 10:17:22 a.m. The epicenter was recorded at 46 km (28 miles) west-northwest of Iloilo, 88 km (54 miles) west of Bacolod, Negros Occidental, 106 km (65 miles) southwest of Roxas City, Capiz and 438 km (272 miles) south-southeast of Manila.

Last August 14, a magnitude 4.8 quake also hit part of Antique, Romblon and Aklan at 3:38 p.m. Philvocs recorded the epicenter of the quake 53 km north of Buruanga, Aklan and was tectonic in origin.

It has a depth of 17 kms and was felt at intensity III in Looc, Romblon; Malay, Aklan and Culasi, Antique, Intensity IV at Libertad, Antique and Intensity V at Caluya Island in Antique.