Magnitude 4.9 Earthquake Hits Butuan City

An earthquake with a Richter Scale reading of magnitude 4.9 jolted Butuan City in Northern Mindanao, Philippines on Thursday, September 12, 2013, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said.

Epicenter of the Philippine earthquake on September 12, 2013

According to Phivolcs, the quake struck at 8:32pm and centered at 11km northeast of Butuan City. The temblor, which was tectonic in origin and had a depth of focus of 18km, was felt in the following areas:

Intensity IV - Butuan City
Intensity III - Camiguin Island
Intensity II - Surigao City; Carrascal, Surigao Del Sur

There were no immediate reports of damage or casualties from the recent Butuan quake.

The Institute also said it is not expecting major damage or aftershocks.

The Philippines is part of the Ring of Fire, an area in the Pacific where continental plates collide, causing frequent quakes.