5.1 Magnitude Earthquake Jolts Sipalay City

By Glazyl M. Jopson

BACOLOD CITY – Authorities are assessing potential damage after a magnitude 5.1 earthquake struck Sipalay City, Negros Occidental, on Saturday morning.

Executive Assistant Dionilo Bogtae, head of the Public Safety and Sipalay Emergency Assistance and Rescue Services (SEARS), said residents remained calm, especially in the city proper.

He credited regular earthquake drills for enhancing public preparedness and awareness.

Emergency responders and personnel from the Bureau of Fire Protection were immediately deployed to inspect government buildings and other structures.

Initial inspections of infrastructure, including bridges, revealed no visible damage.

However, a series of aftershocks followed the main tremor, which occurred at 8:32 a.m.

According to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS), the quake was also felt in several areas of Negros Occidental, including Cauayan, Candoni, La Castellana, Silay City, Bago City, Pontevedra, Kabankalan City, Pulupandan, Himamaylan City, Valladolid, Cadiz City, La Carlota City and Bacolod City.

It was also felt in Bayawan City, Bais City and Dumaguete City in Negros Oriental, as well as parts of Antique, Iloilo City and Aklan.

Residents took to social media to share their experiences during the quake.

Authorities continue to advise the public to stay calm and alert in case of further aftershocks.

The Sipalay City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office continues to monitor the situation.

No major damage has been reported as of this writing.

PHIVOLCS said the quake was tectonic in origin and had a depth of 5 kilometers.