OCCIDENTAL MINDORO / RankWire.AI / – The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) recorded a magnitude 5.4 earthquake near Occidental Mindoro in the early hours of Friday, with tremors felt across parts of Luzon and Metro Manila. According to PHIVOLCS, the quake’s epicenter was approximately 13 kilometers southwest of Mamburao, the provincial capital. Originating from tectonic movement, the seismic event had a depth of around 14 kilometers.
Initially, authorities listed the earthquake at magnitude 5.8, but subsequent analysis lowered the reading to 5.4. The agency warned that aftershocks could follow the main tremor. Based on the initial assessment, PHIVOLCS did not anticipate significant damage. Residents across Mindoro experienced noticeable shaking during late morning hours, while weaker vibrations extended into neighboring provinces. The impact was also felt in parts of the capital region, which is more than 100 kilometers from the area closest to the epicenter.
Mamburao experienced Intensity 5 shaking, along with several other communities in Oriental Mindoro. Calapan City, Naujan, Puerto Galera, San Teodoro, and Victoria all reported the same intensity levels. Taal in Batangas and towns in Occidental Mindoro such as Abra de Ilog and Sablayan experienced Intensity 4. Instruments recorded Intensity 5 in both Mamburao and Puerto Galera. The strongest ground motion readings remained concentrated across Mindoro, where residents felt the most prominent vibrations.
Shaking reaches into Metro Manila and beyond
The tremor was strong enough to be felt in Metro Manila and several northern provinces. Instruments indicated Intensity 3 in Quezon City, Batangas City, Calapan City, and Victoria. General Trias in Cavite and San Pedro in Laguna also registered Intensity 3. Some Manila residents evacuated buildings as a precaution during the shaking. After the tremor ceased, normal activity resumed, and officials continued inspections across affected areas.
Communities around Luzon experienced lower seismic activity, with Parañaque City recording Intensity 2, alongside Santa Cruz in Laguna and Guinayangan in Quezon. Variations in ground motion levels were detected depending on location, with no reports of significant structural damage from the initial evaluation. Monitoring persisted after the main earthquake, as authorities and seismic stations tracked for additional tremors near Occidental Mindoro.
Official magnitude update confirms the quake at 5.4
Following a review of seismic data, experts assigned the earthquake a magnitude of 5.4, with the depth remaining around 14 kilometers and the epicenter southwest of Mamburao. The strongest shaking was localized in communities within Occidental and Oriental Mindoro. Weaker tremors extended to Batangas, Cavite, Laguna, Quezon, and Metro Manila. The range of intensity reports indicated that a broad area of Luzon felt the effects of the earthquake early Friday morning.
The Philippines is prone to frequent earthquakes, due to multiple active tectonic boundaries surrounding and crossing the archipelago. Seismic monitoring stations continuously track such events and update measurements as new data becomes available. The earthquake near Occidental Mindoro caused widespread shaking but initially showed no signs of significant damage. Authorities maintained surveillance for aftershocks, and the latest official record remains at 5.4, replacing the initial higher estimate.