• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Earthquakes struck some portions of Negros Occidental in the past two days, with magnitude 5.1 quake jolting Sipalay City down south yesterday, although no damage was reported by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs).
Ptolemy Maniego, science research assistant at the Kanlaon Volcano Observatory in La Carlota City, said the intensity of the earthquake in Sipalay City around 8:04 a.m. was also felt in Kabankalan City and Bago City.
It was preceded by a magnitude 3.5 quake recorded at 5:58 a.m. of the same day. Both earthquakes were tectonic in origin, with a depth of three and five kilometers, respectively.
Classes at the Sipalay City National High School and Kabankalan Catholic College were suspended due to the tremors.
Mayor Gina Lizares said that Sipalay City residents are used to such events as the locality is located near the Negros Trench.
She said there was no cancellation of classes in the city.
Up north in Toboso town, classes were cancelled by Mayor Richard Jaojoco on Tuesday, after five earthquakes were recorded Monday night, with magnitude up to 2.3.
Jaojoco said the series of earthquakes were believed to have been triggered by the East Negros fault line in Sitio Burgos, Barangay General Luna.
Maniego said the seismic activities in Sipalay and Toboso have nothing to do with the powerful earthquake that struck Bogo City and the neighboring areas in Cebu.
The magnitude 6.9 quake in northern Cebu on Sept. 30 was also felt in Negros Occidental. | GB
