No major damage after magnitude 4.8 quake in Iloilo

By Mariela Angella Oladive

No major injuries or significant structural damage were reported after a magnitude 4.8 earthquake struck parts of Iloilo at 6:13 p.m. Monday, March 2, authorities said.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) initially recorded the tremor at magnitude 5.0 with an epicenter in the sea off Tigbauan town but later downgraded it to magnitude 4.8 and relocated the epicenter to 5 kilometers west of Guimbal, Iloilo.

The quake had a depth of 11 kilometers and was tectonic in origin.

In Earthquake Information No. 3, Phivolcs said the quake registered Intensity IV in Iloilo City, Guimbal, Miagao, Tigbauan, and Oton.

Intensity III was recorded in portions of Antique and Negros Occidental, while lower intensities were monitored in parts of Aklan, Capiz, and nearby areas.

Instrumental readings also showed Intensity IV in Iloilo City and Jordan, Guimaras, with Intensity III to I recorded across parts of Antique, Guimaras, Aklan, Capiz, Negros Occidental, and Iloilo province.

The Iloilo City Emergency Operations Center (EOC), in its situational report as of 3 p.m. on March 3, said no major damage was observed in public or private structures.

Ground monitoring systems showed shaking ranging from 29 to 70 gal, a unit used to measure ground acceleration during earthquakes.

Sensors at SM City Iloilo recorded 41.5 gal, while National Science and Technology Centre for Disaster Reduction (NCDR) P-Alert devices detected shaking as high as 61.1 gal.

The EOC said that while peak ground acceleration and the Phivolcs Earthquake Intensity Scale (PEIS) do not have a direct conversion, correlation tables indicate the city experienced instrumental intensity equivalent to Intensity IV under the Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale, corresponding to PEIS IV.

Most residents reported strong shaking, particularly those in mid- and high-rise buildings.

Some establishments reported hairline cracks and swaying of hanging objects, prompting precautionary evacuations.

Several malls, business process outsourcing (BPO) offices, and corporate establishments temporarily cleared employees to designated safe areas, while management teams conducted structural and nonstructural assessments.

Rapid inspections by the Office of the Building Official in public markets, condominiums, and BPO facilities showed no significant structural damage.

Hospitals remained fully operational after conducting precautionary inspections, with no reported service disruptions.

Authorities said monitoring continues through early warning devices, closed-circuit television cameras, and science-based seismic tools.

Advisories are being disseminated to barangays, disaster response clusters, and the public, while coordination with the business, education, utilities, and hospital sectors remains ongoing.

Capitol ‘structurally safe’

At the provincial level, the Iloilo Provincial Capitol was declared structurally safe following a rapid visual inspection by the Provincial Engineer’s Office.

Provincial Engineer Romeo Andig said the inspection began at 6:58 a.m. Tuesday and found no newly developed cracks or noticeable structural defects.

“The existing cracks remain as is, and no noticeable defects in the structure were seen. We therefore declare the building structurally safe,” Andig said.

Employees and the transacting public were allowed to reenter the Capitol as normal operations resumed.

Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office head Cornelio Salinas said that if strong aftershocks occur during work hours, buildings will automatically be vacated and work suspended.

He reminded the public to follow standard earthquake protocols, particularly “duck, cover and hold,” and to avoid running to prevent stampedes.

Salinas reiterated the province’s long-term objective of achieving zero casualties in major seismic events and urged residents to remain vigilant as monitoring continues.

Meanwhile, 74,243 learners in 125 schools across Iloilo City and Iloilo province shifted to alternative delivery modes.

Under the Schools Division Office (SDO)-Iloilo, affected areas included Tubungan with 19 public schools and 2,226 learners; Oton with 12 public schools and 4,462 learners; Tigbauan with 32 public schools and 10,636 learners; and Guimbal with 17 public schools and 4,462 learners.

Iloilo National High School, located in Iloilo City but under SDO-Iloilo’s jurisdiction, reported 6,476 learners shifting to alternative delivery modes.

The SDO-Iloilo City reported 44 public schools affected, covering 45,981 learners.