6.7 Magnitude Earthquake off Coast of Philippines Brings Local Tsunami Alert
One child has died in the Philippines after a 6.7 magnitude earthquake occurred off the coast of the Philippines. The quake was located near the island of Negros on Monday morning. Negros is the third largest island in the Philippines. The U.S. Geological Survey said that two more aftershocks have already been reported.
Residents in coastal areas have been warned that the tsunami alert is now at a level 2. The highest warning level of is three. There have not been any evacuations ordered at this time, but there have been reports of building damage from the strong earthquake. A three story office building has collapsed in the town of La Libertad, but no one was injured. In that same town, there was a report that five wooden and bamboo cottages have been washed out to sea by a large wave. The Institute of Volcanology and Seismology in the Philippines also warned that buildings that are not structurally sound may sustain heavy damage.
The quake was at a depth of 6.2 miles. The two aftershocks were magnitudes of 4.8 and 5.6. Those quakes happened within thirty minutes of the first one. The quakes hit right after noon. The epicenter of the quake was closet to Tayasan, which is a coastal town with a population of about 32,000. This is where the child died when a concrete fence around a house collapsed.
Warnings have been issued for people to stay away from the coastline and to watch for any unusual waves. There have been no other tsunami warnings issued for other regions.
A receptionist at the Circle Inn Hotel, which is located on the island of Negros, said that the shaking was intense from the earthquake. All of the guests were able to get out of the hotel. She said that the quake was felt for between three and five minutes.
