Moderate quake hits northern Luzon

A moderate earthquake hit the northern Philippines past noon Friday. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology recorded the tremor at 4.8 magnitude and shook Isabela province at 1:13 p.m. The epicenter of the quake was traced 70 kilometers northeast of Palanan, Isabela. Intensity 4 was felt in Callao, Cagayan, Intensity 3 in Tugegarao City while intensity 2 was recorded in Cauayan, Isabela, and Aparri, Cagayan. Earlier Friday, a predawn quake rocked parts of Surigao del Norte, but state seismologists said no damage or casualty was reported. The quake was recorded at 1:52 a.m. and measured magnitude 5.4 on the Richter Scale. Its epicenter was traced 66 kilometers from Tandag, Surigao del Norte. In its advisory, Phivolcs said the quake was felt at Intensity 4 in General Luna town, and at Intensity 3 in Surigao City and Dapa town. General Luna is a fifth-class town with a population of 12,347 while Surigao City is a second-class city with a population of 118,534. Dapa is a fifth-class town with a population of 19,508 people in 3,846 households. - GMANews.TV