Magnitude 5.3 quake rocks Masbate

A magnitude 5.3 earthquake struck Masbate province in Southern Luzon Thursday night and triggered quakes felt in Southern Luzon, Bicol and Western Visayas. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said the quake was tectonic in origin and was considered "shallow." In a bulletin posted on its website (www.phivolcs.dost.gov.ph), it said the quake likely originated from the Masbate segment of the Philippine fault zone. Phivolcs said the quake was felt at Intensity III in Masbate, Masbate and Irosin, Sorsogon; Intensity II in Legazpi City in Bicol and Roxas City in Western Visayas; and Intensity I in Zarraga, Iloilo. The United States Geological Service (USGS/www.usgs.gov) also recorded the quake, placing the epicenter about 20 km northwest of Masbate City in Masbate province. USGS added the epicenter of the quake was traced 80 km south-southwest of Legazpi City in Bicol; 125 km northeast of Roxas City in Panay Island; or 355 km southeast of Manila. - GMANews.TV