Earthquakes

What is an EARTHQUAKE?

Earthquake (also known as a quake, tremor or temblor) is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust that creates seismic waves.

ACTIVE FAULTS

• What is a FAULT?

A fault refers to a fracture, fissure, or a zone of weakness where movement or displacement has occurred or may occur again.

• What is an ACTIVE FAULT?

An active fault is a fault that has moved within the last 10,000 years.

Philippines' Geographical Location

The Philippine Archipelago occupies the western rim of the Pacific Ocean (Western Segment of the Pacific Ring of Fire), a most active part of the Earth that is characterized by an ocean-encircling belt of active volcanoes and earthquake generators (fault lines).

HAZARDSCAPE of the Philippines

What are the Earthquake Generators in the Philippines?

• Philippine Trench
• East Luzon Trough
• Manila Trench
• Palawan-Mindoro Collision Zone
• Negros Trench
• Zamboanga-Western Mindanao Collision Zone
• Davao Trench
• Philippine Fault Zone and its many branches
• Many Active Faults (e.g. Lubang, Tablas, Casiguran and Mindanao Faults)

Philippine Seismicity

• An average of 20 earthquakes recorded per day
• 5,000 plotted earthquakes per year
• 200 felt earthquakes per year
• 90 destructive earthquakes for the past 400 years.