Authorities confirmed that there were no reported casualties following the magnitude 6.1 earthquake that struck off the coast of Sarangani, Davao Occidental, on Saturday morning. The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) reported on Sunday that no injuries or fatalities occurred, and no major infrastructure damage was noted.
OCD Administrator Ariel Nepomuceno told dzBB that emergency teams found no significant damage, landslides, or road issues in the affected areas as of Saturday evening.
According to PHIVOLCS, the quake’s strongest impact—Intensity V—was felt in Glan and Malungon in Sarangani and Pantukan in Davao de Oro. Intensity IV was experienced in nearby areas including General Santos City, Davao City, and parts of South Cotabato, Davao del Sur, and Davao Occidental.
Nepomuceno urged the public to always follow earthquake safety measures, emphasizing the importance of the “duck, cover, and hold” protocol during tremors and moving to safe open spaces when possible. He also called on local governments to ensure that construction projects avoid landslide or liquefaction-prone zones.