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By LITO RULONA
Correspondent

THE Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology has so far recorded some 70 aftershocks since the magnitude 5.4 earthquake on Sunday even as it warned of more seismisms, including the “Big One,” within a month.

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There were two successive earthquakes that affected parts of Mindanao, including northern Mindanao, on Sunday dawn and the rest were aftershocks, said Phivolcs director for northern Mindanao Marcial Labininay.

The most powerful quake took place at around 4:47 am with Wao in Lanao del Sur as the epicenter.

Labininay said Phivolcs still anticipates a series of tremors especially in Bukidnon and nearby provinces.

“We are awaiting the so-called ‘Big One.’ Pero dili nato matagna. All we have to do is to prepare,” he said.

Labininay said aftershocks were experienced as the earthquake had a depth of only two kilometers.

Labininay said Phivolcs is also keeping an eye on the fault line from Misamis Oriental to Lanao del Norte “kay wala pa siya maglihok dugay na.”

He added: “Ang galihok karon diha sa Bukidnon is not listed as fault line of Phivolcs.”

Labinay said Phivolcs is closely monitoring Wao, Lanao del Sur, and Kadingilan, Bukidnon, explaining that experts have theorized that there is a fault line in these areas given the series of seismic activities there in the past few months. The area is the epicenter of a magniture 6 quake in April 12.

The Wao town government had declared a state of calamity in April when a magnitude 6 rocked the town affecting 14 villages and displacing at least a thousand families. Damage from that temblor was estimated at around P25 million

“Naa na’y nakita nato nga fault line in those areas pero wala pa’y ngalan,” he said.

Liza Mazo, regional director of the Office of the Civil Defense, sounded alarm bells.

“Gibantayan ta na kini kay possible nga duna pay dako ani nga mahitabo,” she said.

Mazo said the OCD was worried especially for areas like Cagayan de Oro that has highise buildings.

“We fear for the urban cities. OK ra kanang mga mugbo og balay bahala og naa sa fault line unlike cities with highise buildings like Cagayan de Oro. Congested na ra ba, and the worst scenario is expected,” she said.

Mazo said there was a need to identify new fault lines so the OCD can make recommendations, and so that local governments and people could prepare.

“Kinahanglan makahibalo na sila asa paingon kung dunay dako og kusog nga linog,” Mazo said. (with a report from pna)

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