By Harold Hisona

Published: February 6, 2012

TAYASAN, Philippines – A local tsunami alert was issued by Philippines Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PhiVolcs) in Tayasan, Negros Oriental following a 6.9 magnitude earthquake that hit the town around 11:49 A.M. on February 6th, 2012.

The local government reported one fatality after a wall collapsed on to a child. The child’s identity has yet to be revealed.

The earthquake, according to the USGS data, has a depth of 10 kilometers and its epicenter was just 5 kilometers away from Tayasan shore. Locally, the quake was felt at intensity 7. Two aftershocks followed.

“Damage is possible in areas hit by at least intensity 5 and if the buildings are structurally weak,” Renato Solidum, head of the volcanology and seismology institute said in a radio interview.