A MILD earthquake rocked Dagupan City and Pangasinan at about 8:15 p.m. on Sunday, as people were still wide awake and watching their favorite television shows at home.

No damage was, however, reported in the city or any part of the province in the earthquake that was tagged at intensity IV. It registered a magnitude of 5.2 in the Richter scale, according to Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Philvolcs).

It was the third earthquake felt in Dagupan City and Pangasinan since November 26 last year.

The epicenter of the earthquake was reported to be north-east of Dagupan City or in the province of Abra, at 17.63 degrees north, 120.66 degrees east and seven kilometers northeast of Bangued.

The epicenter of the first two quakes was south-west of Lingayen.

Some towns in Ilocos Sur reportedly experienced a power blackout after the earthquake.

Jun De Peralta, Philvolcs officer based in Sinait, Ilocos Sur, reported that the earthquake occurred as a result of the movement of the tectonic fault line in the Abra river.

“The Abra River’s tectonic fault line is a small fault line that seldom moves,”De Peralta said.

He disclosed that he recorded seven mild aftershocks after the earthquake.

According to Solidum, the earthquake did not cause tsunami or storm surge considering that the earthquake’s epicenter was located along the mountainous area north east of Bangued, Abra.
It was learned that the usual earthquakes’ magnitude under sea that may cause tsunami is intensity 7.