As I write this, within the past 5 minutes, we have experienced an earthquake here in Davao. It was not a serious quake, but fairly strong. It’s too early to hear what the magnitude was, but I would estimate it at about a 5.0 or maybe a little less.
This was a rolling quake, kind of side to side. It lasted for a fair amount of time for a quake, perhaps 30 seconds or so, and I already felt one small aftershock too.
This one was small, but I worry about a major quake striking here. Back in January 2001 we had a major 7.2 quake in General Santos City while we were living there, and I honestly thought we would die in that quake! Luckily none of us were hurt, though.
Anyway, I just thought I’d mention this if anybody is interested.
About MindanaoBob
really? what time? And I didn’t even feel anything here on Samal. Strange.
IT’S HARD TO GET USED TO AN EARTHQUAKE I BET THEY DON’T HAPPEN ENOUGH AND YOU NEVER NO HOW BAD ITS GOING TO GET. I HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED ONE.
Hi Ellen- Must have been around 5:45 or so. I am surprised that you didn’t feel it there in Samal, because it was quite strong here.
Hi JOHN- I never used to be scared of them until that strong one that we had in GenSan!
I just called my mother – she lives close to Gaisano – she felt nothing too. Said she is just sitting with Dad watching TV, nothing daw. Very strange.
I’ve been in a 7+ magnitude, but in the water
. All talks of tsunamis … I didn’t feel anything as well. Got my whole family calling the embassy though …
Hi Ellen- That is not too far from our house, and we certainly felt it. My blinds in my office were swinging back and forth. Weird!
I was sitting in one of those plastic garden chairs in Toril and the ground started shaking and the chair rattling. In the past I might attribute that to one too many vodka but I don’t drink anymore. I actually liked it as I never been in one before. Only 135 mile hour hurricanes which is really something to experience especially 4 in one bathtub scared out your wits ha ha
Hi richard- I’m glad to hear that I’m not the only one who felt it, Richard! Thanks for your comment.
I’m here in Gensan and we felt it for about 40 seconds.
Hi Paul- I saw that the epicenter was a little closer to GenSan, and the magnitude was 5.6. It must have been a little stronger down there!
I live in California. We don’t even wake up for a 5.6! However, we live in an area with good-quality construction. Is there a problem with how well buildings are built?
Hi Tom N- Ha ha…. you guys are only interest in the biggies! No, construction here is good quality, but certainly nothing like you have there in CA.
Hi Bob,
I forgot the Philippines is along an earthquake fault line. I hope that jolt didn’t cause too much damage.
Hi Henry- No damage at all, Henry. Thanks for your concern. Oh yes… we are right on the “ring of fire” here!
Hi Bob
When we first moved here went to Gaisano Mall and felt a “tremor” the following time the same thing happened…. In fact almost everytime. So obviously the aircon or something like that. Anyway. Was in G Mall at about 5.30 and the “aircon” kicked in??? Did feel a bit more wobbly than normal, but nothing that made me think it was diffrent. Was home by about 5.45 and felt nothing here. So maybe I did feel it.
Hi Carolynn- the timing that I gave was off a bit. According to the US Geological Survey, the quake here happened at 5:20pm. You probably felt it at G Mall!
Im in Toril and i felt the tremour it was weird sensation ,I was on my computer and i felt the ground move under me and computer was vibrating. As i am from the United Kingdom and dont experience this kind of thing it was very nervy feeling.
Trevor
Hi Trevor kirk- When I lived in the States, we had earthquakes from time to time, but they can be pretty regular here. It is a strange feeling to have the earth shifting under your feet!
We have been sailing along the ring of fire, starting from Juan de Fuca straight in Vancouver. In fact we have been through some earthquakes. We don’t normally feel the quakes, unless I am sitting down. Sometimes I will feel a slight tug when the anchor shifts. My imaginations will run wild when we sail over underwater volcanoes, especially ones that are considered active, i.e. in the Kingdom of Tonga. In Vanuatu, there were several earthquakes. I wouldn’t have known it is happening, if I didn’t hear the rattling of the houses. In Solomons, we could still see the devastation from the tsunami that hit it. Earthquakes are scary.
Hi Ellen- Yeah, they are indeed scary! I am surprised that the Philippines doesn’t have more devastating quakes too. Just look to our south, Indonesia…. they are constantly having bad quakes there. Then, the tsunami that was experienced there a few years ago. It’s enough to have you shaking!
Hi Bob, yes, we were supposed to be in Phuket in December that year if it wasn’t because Kjartan got very sick and we took the year off. The sailboats normally gather there by that time, to cross the Indian Ocean by January towards the Red Sea. That was scary news and up to now, I am so thankful Somebody was thinking about us. Reading our cruising nets, some boats found bodies floating in the water, and there were lots of debris, even weeks after. It is bad enough you have to watch vessel traffic at all times, and to watch out for debris too at nights is exhausting. I think I read also some islands/reefs moved. Not fun navigating …. But, all the sailboats anchored in deeper waters were safe as I read it. If they had floated away, the other cruisers normally will go and rescue it. We are a friendly and helpful bunch
Hi Ellen- I would think that being friendly and helpful with your fellow cruisers would be very important, given the fact that you may need help yourself someday in the future. Word spreads through a community like that, and being helpful is something that would be widely appreciated, I would think.
im in gensan and we felt the tremors too. the news said its 3 magnitude for 30 seconds or so. it’s a bit strong.
Hi m1k3- that magnitude of 3, was that on the Philippine scale, or the international Richter scale? The USGS says it was a 5.6.
5.6 was in the epicenter along the sea of davao del sur. i think richter scale.. magnitude of 3 was felt in gensan.
Hi m1k3- Ah, OK. Thanks for that. I thought you meant that the epicenter was a 3.
ok. sorry bec i posted less info..
Hi m1k3- No worries!
Hope all is well!! Something you gotta expect when you live in the ring of fire – they certainly get the juices flowin’ don’t they?? I’ve experienced a few myself – the quakes that stand out for me: Sylmar (1971), Whittier (1987), Landers (1992) and Northridge (1994) – I can remember where I was and who I was with during each of those. We had a fairly minor one in Gensan back either ’97 or ’98.
Hi Bob,
The USGS website here: http://earthquake.usgs.gov/eqcenter/catalogs/ has a few RSS feeds, and also downloads for the program Google Earth. When you see the earthquakes plotted as little coloured dots in Google Earth, it is amazing how many there are daily all over the Philippines. If you click on one of these plotted earthquake links in Google Earth, it will give you the depth, magnitude and location. They list them for the past hour, past day and past week.
Hi again,
Here’s some more information I found here. This is the KML file I use: http://bbs.keyhole.com/ubb/z0302a1700/feb08.htm#0.1_0.1_sec5
Hi Gary- Those were all big quakes! I can imagine why you have vivid memories!
Hi John in Austria- I wasn’t aware of the data available for Google Earth. I’ll check that out, thanks for passing it along.
Hi John in Austria- Got it, thanks John.
Hi Bob apparently we felt it here in tagum as well alas I was having a beer so wouldn’t have made much difference to me
Hi andyp- Haha… after a few San Migs the earthquakes are constant, right?
Hi Bob, wow, really??? Of course, during that time, we still relaxed on Samal Island…
Hi Klaus- Yep, it seems a lot of people didn’t feel it. I hope you had fun and time to relax on Samal.
I was at my school in Marfori Heights when they earthquake hit on Thursday around 5:20. I felt it right away. I knew it would be over a magnitude of 5. I timed it and it lasted for over a minute – close to a minute and a half but the worse of the shaking was about 20 seconds. Due to the fault line there are places in town where you do not feel them as much. All of my kids in Marfori Hts felt this one. The family of a student who lives in Insular did not. They usually don’t feel them as much out that way. Sometimes at different malls you think you are feeling them but it’s just the bowling alley or the way the ramps from the parking structures are placed. TeeHee…
Hi Joy in Davao- I live in Marfori Heights myself, so that is probably why we both felt it so strongly!
Where are you originally from?
Hi Joy in Davao- I am from the USA, but have been living in the Philippines since May 2000. By the way, I think that I’ve held that same snake in your gravatar! That’s at Davao Crocodile Park, right?
Yes, Croc Park. We love that Burmese Albino Python. Yes, I knew you were from the states. Did you live in Ohio?
Hi Joy in Davao- I normally don’t claim to be from any certain State, because I moved around the USA a lot, and have lived in many states. If pressed, I will usually say that I am from Washington State, because I was born there, and it was the last place where I lived before moving to the Philippines. I have never lived in Ohio, though.
You reminded me of someone from there who moved here, somewhere in the Philippines. So, since I was chatting at ya I just thought I’d ask… Take care!
Hi Joy in Davao- No problem! Happy to chat with you.
Hey Bob my wife felt some tremours in gingoog city ..we even have them here in western Pa too …Phil R.
Hi Phil R- Shake, Rattle and Roll!
Hi Bob,
Yesterday, Dec 25, and around noon we had another earthquake here in Davao. I was in my hotel room on the fourth floor when it happend so it felt bit shaky. It lasted for about a minute. I was surprised to hear that they are becoming a usual occurance here in Davao!
Hello Bob,
I guess I missed the last quake by a few days. I can only say Davao’s quakes will not bother me too much. Where I live, they are daily. Very small but daily. About 28 years ago they found that this was gold mine of geothermal energy. Five years later the quakes started. One of magnitude 5 is rare though. Joke here now is someday Lake County, that is now 105 miles from coast, will some day be on the coast. hehe
Hi SAmuel – Indeed we did have a fairly good sized quake yesterday. I wouldn’t say that “these are becoming a usual occurrence here in Davao” – they have been a regular thing all over the Philippines for centuries! We sit directly on top of the ring of fire after all!
HI Andy Wooldridge – Ha ha…. usually we don’t have major quakes in Davao, but there is potential for it, unfortunately.