Four earthquakes shake Mindanao on Easter Sunday

A series of moderate to strong earthquakes rattled parts of Mindanao on Easter Sunday, with four separate tremors exceeding magnitude 5, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS).

The seismic swarm struck just after midnight, disrupting the holiday calm and alarming residents across several provinces.

Three of the quakes were centered in the province of Sultan Kudarat, while another was recorded off the coast of Davao Occidental. The most powerful of the sequence, a magnitude 5.9 quake, struck at 12:11 a.m. off the coast of Palimbang, Sultan Kudarat. The tectonic tremor, with a shallow depth of six kilometers, originated around 51 kilometers southwest of Palimbang.

The shaking was felt across a wide swath of Mindanao. Residents in Kiamba, Sarangani, and Lebak, Sultan Kudarat, reported Intensity V shaking, which is classified as strong and capable of breaking windows and toppling unsecured objects. Intensity IV was reported in other parts of Sarangani, including Alabel, Glan, and Maitum, as well as in the towns of T’boli and Tupi in South Cotabato.

Intensity III shaking reached a broader area, including General Santos City and several municipalities in South Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat. Even parts of Davao City and Davao del Sur, as well as M’lang in Cotabato, recorded weaker but perceptible tremors at Intensity II. The quake was faintly felt as far away as Zamboanga City and various towns in Davao del Sur at Intensity I.

The three other quakes that followed throughout the day maintained similar tectonic origins, consistent with the region's location along the Philippine Fault Zone, a major source of seismic activity.

Although no major damage or injuries were reported as of press time, local disaster management offices remained on alert, monitoring aftershocks and possible infrastructure effects.