Philippines: Magnitude-5.2 earthquake occurs near Lapinig Dec. 26

A magnitude-5.2 earthquake occurred near Lapinig at around 18:26 on Dec. 26. The epicenter was about 5km (3 mi) northeast of Lapinig, Northern Samar Province. The tremor occurred at a depth of about 59 km (37 miles), and light shaking was probably felt throughout parts of the Northern, Eastern, and Central Samar provinces. 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 for authorities to 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.