Major Fault Lines in the Philippines | Lamudi

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Where Are the Major Fault Lines in the
Philippines?
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Where Are the Major Fault Lines in the
Philippines?
Earthquakes always happen somewhere, but this
doesnt mean you should be unconcerned when
discussing such occurrences. Experts revealed
that magnitude 2 and smaller earthquakes happen
over a hundred times daily. But what about
higher-intensity earthquakes? In the
Philippines, the most destructive quake happened
in 1968. An intensity eight earthquake jolted the
town of Casiguran, Aurora, and severely impacted
Metro Manila, where major buildings sustained
varying levels of damage. It was also estimated
that the overall property damage cost several
million dollars. Hence, one cannot dismiss the
danger of living near earthquake fault lines.
Such lines are located in places where two
tectonic plates meet and where earthquakes could
wreak much havoc. To determine if your current
or future property stands in an earthquake-prone
area, check out the Philippine fault line map
below
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Philippine Fault Zone
Where Are the Major Fault Lines in the
Philippines?
One explanation for why we experience several
destructive quakes is the existence of the
Philippine Fault Zone (PFZ), a 1,200-kilometer
(km) tectonic feature that runs across the
country. The Philippine fault zone starts from
northwestern Luzon and ends in southeastern
Mindanao, traversing the following areas
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• Where Are the Major Fault Lines in the
  Philippines?
• Ilocos Region
• Nueva Ecija
• Ouezon Province
• Masbate
• Leyte
• CARAGA Region
• Davao Gulf
• Davao Oriental
• The PFZ has been the source of massive
  earthquakes in recent years, including the
  magnitude 7.7 Luzon quake (1990) and magnitude
  6.2 Masbate earthquake (2003).

Most Notable Fault Lines in the
Philippines
Guinayangan Fault According to the 2020 data
from the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and
Seismology (PHIVOLCS), the Guinayangan Fault is
an active fault traversing Ouezon Provinces
central portion, and is also a part of the
PFZ. The Guinayangan Fault can generate
high-intensity quakes and was the cause of the
magnitude 7 Ragay Gulf Earthquake. During this
event, intensity eight ground shaking was
recorded in the areas of Guinayangan, Calauag,
and Lopez in Ouezon. Important to note
Magnitude and intensity measure different
characteristics of an earthquake. The former
measures the energy released at the earthquakes
source. The latter tells the strength of the
ground shaking, determined by the quakes effects
on people and structures. Masbate Fault Masbate
is considered a seismically active region in the
country, which explains the frequent quakes in
the area. Like the Guinayangan Fault, Masbate
Fault is also a
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Where Are the Major Fault Lines in the
Philippines? segment of the PFZ. There are also
other potentially active faults in Masbate,
including the Uson Fault and Southern Masbate
Fault. The movement of the PFZ caused the
magnitude 6.6 earthquake that struck the province
in August 2022. Nearby provinces impacted include
Aklan, Albay, Biliran, Capiz, Leyte, and Negros
Occidental. Vigan-Aggao Fault Located in the
westernmost part of the fault line in the
Philippines, in northern Luzon, is the 140-km
Vigan-Aggao Fault. A study published in 2020
showed that the fault has four segments
Santa-Sinait, San Juan-Vintar, Bacarra-Burgos,
and Pagudpud. Besides the Vigan-Aggao Fault,
Ilocos Region could also be severely affected by
the West Valley Fault, should the Big One or
the worst-case scenario of an earthquake happen.
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Where Are the Major Fault Lines in the
Philippines?
Marikina Valley Fault System
Finally, we have the Marikina Valley Fault
System, one of the most well-known and feared
fault lines in the Philippines. It runs from Doña
Remedios Trinidad in Bulacan and ends in
Canlubang in Laguna. The active Philippine fault
line system also traverses six cities in Metro
Manila and the nearby provinces of Rizal and
Laguna.
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Where Are the Major Fault Lines in the
Philippines? There are several recognized faults
within the Marikina Valley Fault System, but the
most well-known are these two segments East
Valley Fault The East Valley Fault is around 10
km long and traverses the areas of Rodriguez and
San Mateo in Rizal Province. The fault reportedly
moves roughly every 400 years and could generate
a magnitude 7.2 quake and a casualty of over
30,000 people. West Valley Fault Meanwhile, the
West Valley Fault is 100 kilometers long and runs
through the portions of Ouezon City, Pasig,
Marikina, Makati, Taguig, and Muntinlupa in Metro
Manila and nearby provinces. The fault could
trigger the Big One and be followed by a
tsunami, according to PHIVOLCS. Knowing these
major and active Philippine fault lines, it
becomes clear why earthquakes frequent different
parts of the country. If you live in a high-risk
area or near a fault line in the Philippines, go
beyond doing the duck, cover, and hold. Retro?t
your house, create a disaster plan, and put
together an emergency kit. For those who plan to
acquire real estate in the Philippines, go for a
quake-proof property or choose a location away
from the hazardous areas on map of the fault
lines in the Philippines Sources P IVOLCS,
eFOI, MDPI Open Access Journals, PNA