By David E. Hubler
Contributor, EDM Digest

After a strong Earth Day quake on Monday killed at least 11 people on the Philippines island of Luzon, a second quake on Tuesday “rocked San Julian on the island of Eastern Samar,” United Press International reported.

There were no immediate reports of casualties or major damage from the second quake.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, Tuesday’s tremblor was a magnitude 6.4 quake, “while the local seismology agency said it was 6.5,” the Associated Press reported.

Philippine seismologists said the back-to-back quakes in the last two days were unrelated and caused by different local faults.

Classes and office work were suspended Tuesday because “cracks on roads and small buildings and a church were reported,” AP said. Officials cut power to the area as a precaution against possible fires.

The U.S. Geological Survey’s preliminary estimate is that more than 49 million people were exposed to some shaking from the earthquake, with more than 14 million people likely to feel moderate shaking or more.

Philippines Red Cross Sends Ambulances and Puts Blood Units on Standby

The Philippines Red Cross dispatched ambulances to respond to reported injuries in Eastern Samar.

Unofficial reports said 77 workers have been accounted for, while 33 were missing as of Monday night.

“We also dispatched roving teams in Eastern Samar and Albay to immediately assist affected individuals,” a Red Cross statement added. “Our PRC Leyte chapter have put blood units on standby.”

The Mania-based Inquirer.net reported that President Rodrigo Duterte would visit the area later Tuesday and then hold a situation briefing in the Pampanga Provincial Capitol building in San Fernando.

After Monday’s 6.1 magnitude quake struck Zambales and Pampanga provinces, rescuers worked feverishly to locate survivors in a collapsed four-story supermarket. Several victims were found dead at the scene.

“Seven other villagers died due to collapsed house walls in the hard-hit town of Porac in Pampanga province, north of Manila,” Ricardo Jalad, the head of the government’s disaster-response agency, told AP.