Southern Leyte: Some local government units in Southern Leyte have suspended classes following a magnitude 5.8 earthquake that shook the province. The Southern Leyte Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) reported that classes have been suspended in Maasin City, the provincial capital, and the towns of San Francisco and Liloan.

According to Philippines News Agency, shortly after the ground shaking, Maasin City Mayor Nacional Mercado ordered the suspension of classes at all levels, both public and private. The mayor directed the city engineer and concerned personnel to conduct inspections and assessments of the structural integrity of all school buildings and government offices within the locality.

In a phone interview, Venancio Samalca, communication officer in charge of the Southern Leyte PDRRMO, stated that they are still waiting for reports from other towns regarding class suspension. Samalca mentioned that this is the strongest earthquake the province has experienced since the 2013 Bohol earthquake.

Initial reports indicate cracks along national roads in Liloan, Libagon, and San Francisco, although these sections remain passable. Samalca added that the PDRRMO team, led by chief Danilo Atienza, is conducting rapid damage assessment and needs analysis in the field.

The tectonic quake struck 10.01 km southeast of the municipality of San Francisco at 7:39 a.m., with a depth of 14 km. Varying intensities were felt in many parts of Southern Leyte, Leyte, Samar, Eastern Samar, Surigao del Norte, Cagayan de Oro, Gingoog City in Misamis Oriental, Cebu City, some parts of Capiz, and Mambajao in Camiguin.

Magnitude measures the energy released from the source of the quake, while intensity indicates the strength of shaking produced by the earthquake at a certain location.