By PNA and U.S. News Agency / Asian

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) 7 said it did not make a mistake in issuing a tsunami alert level 2, after the 6.9 magnitude earthquake occurred in Negros and Cebu at 11:49 a.m. last Monday.

Rolando Montanez of the Phivolcs Seismic Monitoring Station in Lapu-Lapu City said the warning was intended for towns along the western coast of Cebu province, facing Negros.

“We did not make a mistake,” said Montanez.

Tsunami alert level 2 means there could be meter-high waves and people are advised to stay away from the shore.

The advisory caused many people in downtown Cebu City and Mandaue to panic around mid-afternoon Monday, even though Phivolcs had lifted the alert status.

Montanez said if a high magnitude earthquake occurs, this should already serve as warming of a possible tsunami.

But he stressed that people should remain calm and should verify any information they receive.

Residents in Cebu and Negros can expect aftershocks in the next few weeks, said Montanez.

Montanez said that, so far, the strongest aftershock occurred at 7 p.m. last Monday with a 4.0 magnitude.

Based on Phivolcs’s earthquake bulletin, last Monday’s quake was the strongest this year.

There was a 6.5 magnitude quake recorded in 1905 in Negros Occidental, near Bantayan Island and Silay, Negros Occidental.

In 1922, a 6.3 magnitude quake occurred between Bohol and Cebu, which was also felt in Negros and Leyte.