Friday 25 April 2014

Magnitude 4.6 Earthquake off Bohol Island, the Philippines.

The United States Geological Survey recorded a Magnitude 4.6 Earthquake at a depth of 10.0 km off the coast of Bohol Island in the Philippines, roughly 3 km northwest of the town of Inabanga, slightly before 3.00 pm local time (slightly before 7.00 am GMT) on Friday 25 April 2014. This is a moderate sized Earthquake was felt on both Bohol and Cebu islands, though there are no reports of any damage or injuries.

The approximate location of the 25 April 2014 Bohol Earthquake. Google Maps.

The geology of the central Philippines is Complex. The west of Mindanao Island is located on the Banda (or Sunda) Microplate, and the east on the Philippine Plate, which is being subducted beneath the Sunda (or Banda) Microplate along the central part of the island. Immediately to the east of the Island the Pacific Plate is being subducted along the Philippine Trench. The subducting Philippine Plate passes under the islands if Bohol and Cebu as it sinks into the Earth. This is not a smooth process, an the plates constantly stick together then break apart again as the pressure builds up, resulting in Earthquakes.

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