Claim: A tsunami alert was issued following the magnitude 7.3 earthquake that hit Abra. 

Rating: FALSE

Why we fact-checked this: The claim is spreading on social media and is causing panic.

The bottom line: The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said that they did not issue a tsunami alert.

Why there is no tsunami threat: Phivolcs officer-in-charge Renato Solidum said in a press briefing that the earthquake happened inland which would not raise the seafloor and trigger a tsunami. 

Bigger than normal waves still possible: Phivolcs said that shoreline areas, especially those enclosed, can still experience bigger than normal waves because of oscillation caused by the earthquake.

• However, Phivolcs said that while oscillation can create bigger waves, it is different from giant tsunami waves. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), tsunamis can reach 100 feet in height with speeds of up to 30 miles per hour on coastal shorelines.

Phivolcs gave assurances there is no need to worry about a tsunami happening after the earthquake that struck Abra. – Lorenz Pasion/Rappler.com

Keep us aware of suspicious Facebook pages, groups, accounts, websites, articles, or photos in your network by contacting us at factcheck@rappler.com. You may also report dubious claims to #FactsFirstPH tipline by messaging Rappler on Facebook or Newsbreak via Twitter direct message. You may also report through our Viber fact check chatbot. Let us battle disinformation one Fact Check at a time.