Philippines: Magnitude-5.0 earthquake occurs on Negros Island Dec. 17

A magnitude-5.0 earthquake occurred in the southwest of Negros Island at around 15:37 Dec. 17. The epicenter was about 9 km (6 miles) east of Bacuyangan, Negros Occidental Province. The tremor occurred at a depth of about 71 km (44 miles), and light shaking was probably felt throughout parts of the central and western Visayas and northwestern Mindanao islands. There have been no initial reports of damage or casualties as a result of the earthquake, and significant damage is unlikely. It could take several hours until authorities can conduct comprehensive damage assessments, especially in remote areas. Light aftershocks are likely over the coming days.

Officials may temporarily shut down transportation infrastructure in the tremor zone to check for damage. Minor disruptions could occur during shutdowns, but service will likely resume quickly if no damage is found. Utility outages are possible, particularly near the earthquake's epicenter.