Northern Philippines was shaken by an earthquake of 7.1 magnitude

• Image Credit: Internet

• Jul 27, 2022 | Poonam Nath

The powerful quake changed the island's landscape, and a 'ground rupture' pushed up a stretch of the ground by up to three meters, creating a rock wall above the epicenter.

Digital Desk: According to the US Geological Survey, a 7.1 magnitude earthquake jolted northern Philippines island early Wednesday. The tremors caused minor damage and forced people to flee their homes. So far, no fatalities or major damage have been reported.

The epicenter was about 13 kilometers southeast of the small town of Dolores, with a depth of 10 kilometers, according to the USGS.

The shallow but powerful quake struck the mountainous and sparsely populated province of Abra on the main island of Luzon at 8:43 a.m. (0043 GMT), according to the USGS, after it was initially measured at 6.8 magnitudes.

The superficial but strong quake struck the mountainous and sparsely populated province of Abra on the main island of Luzon at 8:43 a.m. (0043 GMT), according to the USGS, after it was initially measured at 6.8 magnitudes.

The tremor was so strong that it was felt in Manila, which is nearly 400 kilometers away from the epicenter, and where the city's metro rail systems had been halted during rush hour following the quake, according to the transport ministry.

According to media reports, the capital's senate building was also evacuated. According to Renato Solidum, director of the state seismology agency, the quake could have caused damage in Abra, where Dolores is located, but there was no damage in Manila.

"The quake was very strong," Sergio said, adding that the police station building had minor cracks.

According to reports, the earthquake on Wednesday was the strongest recorded in the Philippines in years. The previous record was set in October 2013, when a magnitude 7.1 earthquake hit Bohol Island in the central Philippines, killing over 200 people and causing landslides.

Following the initial shallow tremors, the quake was followed by several aftershocks, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology on Wednesday.

Several videos on social media have emerged showing minor road cracks and people being evacuated from buildings. 

However, according to local media, no visible damage to shops or houses has been reported thus far.

According to Bangued's police chief Major Nazareno Emia, several injured people were transferred to a hospital for treatment.

Due to its location on the Pacific "Ring of Fire," an area of extremely active seismic activity that runs from Japan through Southeast Asia and throughout the Pacific Basin, the Philippines is an earthquake-prone island.

The island nation is one of the most disaster-prone nations in the world because it experiences roughly 20 typhoons and tropical storms annually.