The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology on Thursday morning recorded a magnitude 5.1 earthquake 38 kilometers southwest of Kalamansig, the latest in a swarm of earthquakes off the coast of Sultan Kudarat.

PHIVOLCS said the quake struck at 7:43 a.m., had a tectonic origin and a depth of 10 kilometers.

Intensity II was recorded in T’boli and Surallah in South Cotabato, as well as in Palimbang and Lebak in Sultan Kudarat. Intensity I was felt in Malungon and Maitum in Sarangani; Santo Niño, Norala, Tupi and Banga in South Cotabato; Isulan and Esperanza in Sultan Kudarat; and Zamboanga City.

PHIVOLCS data showed that 2,264 earthquakes have been recorded in the offshore Sultan Kudarat area from 10:52 p.m. on January 19 to 7 a.m. on 29 January. Of these, 677 earthquakes ranged from magnitude 1.3 to 5.9, while 84 were felt.

Earlier this week, the provincial government of Sultan Kudarat suspended classes at all levels and work in Kalamansig, Lebak and Palimbang until further notice. Surallah, South Cotabato also suspended classes on Friday due to the continuing earthquakes.

Meanwhile, the Department of Social Welfare and Development said Thursday it has extended more than P11.9 million worth of humanitarian assistance to families displaced by a magnitude 5.7 earthquake earlier recorded in Lebak and Kalamansig.

“Patuloy ang pamamahagi ng DSWD Field Office 12 – SOCCSKSARGEN ng tulong sa mga pamilyang nasa mga evacuation centers sa Sultan Kudarat. Higit Php9 milyon worth of assistance ang naibigay ng DSWD sa mga apektado sa bayan ng Kalamansig, habang sa munisipalidad ng Lebak ay higit Php2.9 million worth of humanitarian aid ang ibinahagi na ng Departamento,” DSWD Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao said.

As of press time, around 3,576 families or 13,121 individuals are staying in 14 evacuation centers in Sultan Kudarat, while 1,057 families or 3,269 persons are temporarily staying with relatives or friends.

The DSWD also deployed a mobile kitchen at Datu Guibar Pilot School in Kalamansig to provide hot meals to displaced residents. The agency said it has prepositioned around 78,000 family food packs in warehouses across Region 12.

“Sa kasalukuyan, mayroong higit 78,000 FFPs pa sa aming mga warehouses na nakakalat sa Region 12. Patuloy rin po ang repacking at replenishment ng mga FFPs sa Visayas Disaster Response Center (VDRC) sa Mandaue City, kaya’t madali pong makakapagpadala sa Visayas at Mindanao ng mga FFPs kung kinakailangan,” the DSWD spokesperson said.

Apart from distributing relief goods, the DSWD said its personnel are also monitoring child- and women-friendly spaces established at Don Modesto Buenaflor Sr. Elementary School in Kalamansig.