Landslides from the 22 April 2019 M=6.1 earthquake at Gutad, Luzon in the Philippines

On 22 April 2019 a M=6.1 earthquake occurred at Gutad in Luzon, Philippines. This earthquake occurred at a shallow depth under hilly terrain, such that landslides were likely.  Sotiris Valkaniotis of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki tweeted satellite images in the aftermath of the earthquake showing coseismic landslides in a 15  x 10 km zone in the vicinity of Mount Cuadrado. Planet Labs have captured an image, taken on 25 April 2019, which shows the landslides triggered by the earthquake:-

Planet Labs image, dated 25 April 2019, showing the landslide affected area in the aftermath of the 22 April 2019 earthquake near to Gutad in Luzon, Philippines. Planet Labs Planetscope image, dated 25 April 2019, used with permission.

.

By way of comparison, this is the same area in a Planet Labs image collected on 27 February 2019, prior to the earthquake at Gutad:-

Planet Labs image, dated 25 April 2019, showing the landslide affected area prior to the 22 April 2019 earthquake near to Gutad in Luzon, Philippines. Planet Labs Planetscope image, dated 27 February 2019, used with permission.

.

It is clear that the earthquake triggered large numbers of landslides in this area, located to the northwest of the epicentre. According to the NDRRMC in the Philippines, the earthquake killed 18 people and left a further 3 missing.  According to news reports, at least one fatality was the result of a landslide:-

“The rest of the fatalities came from Zambales, where a six-year-old child was crushed to death in a landslide in a mountain village of San Marcelino town.

[NDRRMC executive director and Office of Civil Defense (OCD) administrator Ricardo Jalad] said around 120 families have evacuated to safer grounds following the landslide at Mt. Bimmukel in San Marcelino.

The displaced residents came from the landslide-stricken Sitio Lomibao, Sitio Bayaron Tikes, all in Barangay Buhawen, where six-year old Waring Sernao, died from massive head injuries.”

Reference