A magnitude 5.7 earthquake rocked Kalamansig in Sultan Kudarat early Wednesday.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said the tremor, of tectonic origin, struck at 1:05 a.m. 55 kilometers south of Kalamansig with a depth of 19 kilometers.
At 9:41 a.m., another magnitude 5.1 tremor shook waters near Kalamansig and was felt at Intensity 4 in the nearby town of Lebak and Palimbang, Sultan Kudarat and intensity 3 in Norala, South Cotabato and Esperanza, Sultan Kudarat.
Intensity 2 was felt in M’lang and Pikit, Cotabato; Maitum, Malungon, Sarangani; Tantangan, City of Koronadal, Banga, Tupi, Surallah, Tampakan, and Santo Nino in South Cotabato; and Isulan, Columbio, and Bagumbayan, Sultan Kudarat.
Intensity 1 was recorded in Kadingilan, Bukidnon; and Maasim, Alabel, Sarangani, and the City of Zamboanga.
Phivolcs said the series of earthquakes forms part of an earthquake swarm that began on Monday, January 19. As of Friday morning, January 23, the agency has recorded more than 765 tremors in the area, with magnitudes ranging from 1.4 to 5.2.
As a precaution, classes across the province and government work in three coastal towns have remained suspended due to the frequent seismic activity.
Local authorities have also ordered the suspension of work and classes in Kalamansig and Lebak, while some residents in coastal villages, including Barangay Nalilidan, have temporarily moved to higher ground.
Phivolcs noted that the affected area is close to the epicenter of the 1976 Moro Gulf earthquake, a magnitude 8.0 event that triggered a destructive tsunami in Mindanao.
The agency continues to warn the public of possible aftershocks and has advised residents to remain vigilant and rely on official updates from authorities.
