(Photo from PHIVOLCS)

Earthquake Strikes Near Lubang, Occidental Mindoro: Details and Impact

On the evening of January 20, a magnitude 5.5 earthquake rattled the waters near Lubang, Occidental Mindoro, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS). The tectonic quake, which struck at precisely 6:42 p.m., had its epicenter located 23 kilometers northeast of Lubang, at a depth of 116 kilometers.

Dhenz Rodriguez, a PHIVOLCS science research specialist, informed GMA News Online that this event followed an earlier report of a magnitude 5.4 earthquake in the waters off Calatagan, Batangas. He explained that the revised magnitude and relocated epicenter were results of additional data acquired from more monitoring stations.

The earthquake was felt across several regions, with varying intensities reported by state seismologists:

• Intensity IV: Lubang, Occidental Mindoro
• Intensity III: Quezon City; City of Makati; City of Taguig; Obando, Bulacan; Hermosa, Bataan; Cainta, Rizal; City of Cabuyao, Laguna
• Intensity II: Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro; Cuenca and Talisay, Batangas; City of Tagaytay; Bacoor, Cavite
• Intensity I: City of Muntinlupa

Stay tuned for further updates as PHIVOLCS continues to monitor seismic activity in the region.