Earthquake hits Visayas with 6.8 magnitude today February 6, 2012 at 11:49am

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image via http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/dyfi/events/us/b0007wgq/us/index.html

Its all over the news, I just notice the Twitter post report and comments of people who experienced the earthquake in Visayas, I check on the news and it hit Cebu, Negros and other Visayas areas. Yesterday I saw the news in TV Patrol that the earthquake in Samar are very active and rumors were spreading that there's a volcano popping under it, but then experts says that it is not true and its just a sudden movement and shifting of lands.

- refresh this blog post to see new and updated news about the earthquake -

(read more news below)


update post: 12:30nn
here are some related news
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eqinthenews/2012/usb0007wgq/

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/140493/magnitude-6-8-quake-hits-parts-of-visayas-usgs

http://www.rappler.com/nation/1322-magnitude-6-8-quake-rocks-central-visayas



12:30pm
Here's a tsunami warning announced after the quake
@DZMMTeleRadyo: RP#42 Dennis Datu: Tsunami Alert 3, itinaas na ng Phivolcs sa Negros islands at Cebu kasunod ng magnitude 6.9 na lindol”

12:45pm
@DZMMTeleRadyo
Phivolcs, nilinaw na tsunami alert no. 2 pa lamang ang ipinalalabas; pinag-aaralan pa kung magpapalabas ng tsunami alert no. 3
https://twitter.com/#!/DZMMTeleRadyo/status/166380982298087424

12:50pm
“@bidnay: a wall/divider at teletech in smct iloilo collapsed. one agent injured. rushed to hospital”

“@juLiusbabao: alert level 2 tsunami warning in negros occ & cebu”

12:55pm

12:55 pm

1:05pm
photo of people outside their building in Ayala IT park
http://yfrog.com/mghn6eqj


1:25pm
Damaged by earthquake in Negros Oriental are 2 provincial bridge, highway, houses accdg to a phone interview of provincial Governor Roel Degamo by DZMM, the 2 bridges are no longer passable for vehicles. Evacuations are ongoing, gyms are now converted to evacuation area for people who are living near the coastal, just a preventive measure from tsunami. (yes I'm listening to radio news report in DZMM)

1:36pm
Malacanang orders Philvocs to monitor the earthquake incident in Visayas. Fishermens are prohibited to go on sea as of this moment, affected areas should be in order and residents should always follow the government request and evacuation for their safety - report by Junri Hidalgo, DZMM

1:50pm
From the press con today in Philvolcs
Reported 16 aftershocks recorded by Philvolcs today. Earthquake not related to Samar earthquake, this is a different one due to land fault that happens like in Marikina. Philvocs doesn't have a map to the right direction yet, but they will get confirmation for the right cause of that un-map quake from the Negros site. Its a different structure and its far from Samar's quake incident which came from tectonic origin.

This earthquake happened in a populated area, this quake should occur in the sea only, Philvolcs monitored it and they always track the earthquakes from time time. - DZMM

1:50pm

Intensity 1
Pagadian City

Intensity 2
Sorsogon
Butuan
Tacloban
Southern Leyte

Intensity 4
Antique
Kalibo

Intensity 5
Iloilo city
Lapu Lapu city
San Carlos city


Intensity 6
Argao

Intensity 7
Dumaguete city
and other parts of Negros

(not a complete list, just heard this via DZMM)

1:52pm
Sea transport are now cancelled in Visayas - DZMM

4:30pm
No more tsunami alert - http://www.gov.ph/2012/02/06/the-presidential-spokesperson-updates-on-the-magnitude-6-9-earthquake-february-6-2012/

----- and here's a sad news -----

Feb 7, 2012 @ 9:44am

Philippine rescuers search for quake survivors
via http://ph.news.yahoo.com/one-dead-strong-philippine-quake-055342523.html 
Rescuers in the Philippines dug through rubble with shovels and their bare hands Tuesday after a powerful earthquake triggered landslides, collapsed homes and killed dozens of people.
The 6.8-magnitude quake hit a narrow strait between the heavily populated islands of Negros and Cebu around lunchtime Monday with more than 200 aftershocks, some nearly as strong, causing further panic throughout the day. 
Local military chiefs said 43 people were confirmed killed, but officials warned the death toll may rise. Dozens of others are feared injured or missing with landslides having blocked roads for rescuers in mountainous areas. 
"Heavy equipment we've requested from the provincial government has not arrived yet, because the roads and bridges are impassable," said Senior Inspector Alvin Futalan, police chief of Guihulngan town on Negros that was among the most heavily damaged.
"We are using our hands and shovels to search in the rubble," he told AFP.
Thirty-nine people were reported killed in Guihulngan, a coastal city of 100,000 people flanked by mountains that was close to the quake's epicentre. 
The city's public market, court house and private homes in the area had collapsed or were damaged, while landslides buried some houses completely, according to Fatulan.
He said the city's overwhelmed 42-man police rescue squad had been joined by hundreds of army troops and volunteers in clearing debris as they raced against time to find people still believed missing. 
"The army (troops) had to walk about 50 kilometres (30 miles) from the last stop reachable by vehicle to reach us," Fatulan said. 
Guihulngan is about 90 kilometres to the north of Dumaguete, the capital of Negros Oriental province that covers the southeastern edge of Negros where the worst impacts of the quake were felt. 
With rescuers still to reach remote hinterland communities, Negros Oriental governor Roel Degamo said he feared there could be more unreported casualties.
"Sadly, we expect the death could still rise," Degamo told AFP.
Degamo said telephone communications in some parts were also cut off, leaving information from remote regions unobtainable. 
He said the public was still in a state of shock and fearful of returning to their homes after dozens of aftershocks.
"We've also had to stop our search efforts from time to time and run to safety because of the aftershocks," he said. 
Cebu, the Philippines' second biggest city with 2.3 million residents and a popular tourist destination, was 50 kilometres from the epicentre and shook violently during the initial tremor but no deaths were reported there.
The Philippines sits on the Pacific "Ring of Fire" -- a belt around the Pacific Ocean where friction between shifting tectonic plates causes frequent earthquakes and volcanic activity.

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