Phivolcs allays fears of tsunami in PHL from Solomon Island quake

State seismologists allayed fears of a possible tsunami reaching the Philippines following a magnitude-6.6 quake in the Solomon Islands Monday. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said the quake is too deep underground to cause a tsunami that would reach the Philippines. "May bandang dagat po ito, pero malalim-lalim ... so sa tingin namin di ito magdudulot ng malawakang pagdating ng tsunami. Walang threat sa bansa ito (It happened at sea but occurred very deep underwater so it poses no threat to us)," Phivolcs director Renato Solidum Jr. said in an interview on dzBB radio. The United States Geological Survey said the quake occurred at about 8:09 a.m. Manila time. Solidum said he issued the assurance lest news reports from other countries about a powerful quake cause fears of a tsunami. He said the Solomon Islands are east of Papua New Guinea. "Puwede nating masabi na malakas pero di ito makakaapekto sa ating bansa, kasi nag-release ang ibang bansa na may information na malakas na lindol pero sa ating bansa walang anumang posibilidad na maapektuhan tayo nito (We can say the quake was powerful but it will definitely have no effect on us)," he said. — RSJ, GMA News