A MAGNITUDE 5.3 earthquake hit Eastern Samar on Monday night, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) reported.
Phivolcs said it was expecting aftershocks but not damage from the quake.
Phivolcs said the quake occurred at 11:08 p.m. Its epicenter was some 41 km northeast of Mercedes town, in Eastern Samar.
It was tectonic in origin and had a depth of 6 km.
The shaking was felt at Intensity IV in the towns of Mercedes, Salcedo, Guiuan, Gen. MacArthur, Hernani, Quinapondan and Giporlos, all in Eastern Samar; and Intensity III in the towns of Llorente, Maydolong, Balangkayan, and Balangiga, Lawaan and Borongan City, all in Eastern Samar; and Tacloban City in Leyte.
An instrumental Intensity III shaking was reported in Borongan City in Eastern Samar and in the towns of Dulag, Hilongos, both in Leyte.
