PHIVOLCS Records Series of Earthquakes Near San Policarpo

Posted on Mar. 17, 2026 at 2:13 pm

TACLOBAN CITY — A series of earthquakes rattled parts of Eastern Samar from March 9 to March 10, 2026, with the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) documenting multiple tremors centered near the town of San Policarpo, Eastern Samar.

PHIVOLCS reported that the seismic activity commenced with a magnitude 4.6 earthquake on March 9 at 6:52 p.m., which was felt at Intensity III in San Policarpo and Intensity II in neighboring towns such as Dolores, Eastern Samar, Oras, Eastern Samar, Can-avid, Eastern Samar, Taft, Eastern Samar, Arteche, Eastern Samar, and Sulat, Eastern Samar.

Following the initial tremor, a series of smaller earthquakes occurred, including a magnitude 3.1 quake at 12:00 a.m., a magnitude 2.4 at 3:17 a.m., and another magnitude 4.0 at 3:37 a.m. on March 10. Seismic activity persisted into the morning with a magnitude 2.6 earthquake recorded at 6:39 a.m.

Subsequent tremors were detected later that evening, including another magnitude 2.6 earthquake at 10:12 p.m., followed by a magnitude 4.4 quake at 11:06 p.m. PHIVOLCS noted that the depths of the recorded earthquakes ranged from 4 kilometers to 19 kilometers.

Instrumental intensity records were also noted in Borongan City, Can-avid, Eastern Samar and Palapag, Northern Samar due to the series of tremors.