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Phivolcs lifts tsunami warning after magnitude 6.2 quake off Catanduanes

by Izel Abanilla

PUBLISHED ON April 5, 2023

Recently updated on April 11, 2023 04:52 pm

STATE seismologists on Wednesday lifted the tsunami warning they issued as no sea level disturbances were observed in the provinces of Catanduanes, Northern Samar, and Eastern Samar following the magnitude 6.2 earthquake that hit off the coast of Gigmoto in Catanduanes.

“Based on available data from our sea level monitoring stations facing the epicentral area, no significant sea level disturbances have been recorded since the 8:54 p.m. earthquake up until this cancellation of the advisory,” the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said in its 12:30 a.m. advisory.

“With this, any effects due to minor sea level disturbances have largely passed, and therefore [Phivolcs] has now canceled the recommendations issued for this event,” it added.

On Tuesday night, Phivolcs reported that an earthquake of tectonic origin was traced 120 kilometers southeast of Gigmoto. It occurred at a depth of 72 kilometers.

In an earlier advisory, Phivolcs recorded the earthquake at 6.6 magnitude but revised this to 6.2 at 11 p.m. Tuesday.

The quake initially prompted state seismologists to raise a tsunami warning in the aforementioned provinces.

“Based on the tsunami wave models and early tide gauge records of the tsunami, it is expected to experience wave heights of less than one meter above the normal tides and may be higher on enclosed bays and straits,” it said in its 9:21 p.m. advisory.

“It is [forecast] that the first tsunami waves will arrive between 09:02 p.m. to 12:54 a.m. 05 Apr 2023 (PST). These waves may continue for hours,” it added.