Southern Philippines Hit by 6.3 Earthquake

A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck off the southern Philippines on Wednesday, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) said.

The quake hit about 32 kilometres (20 miles) southwest of Sarangani Island at 12:14 pm (0414 GMT), according to the USGS. It did not trigger a tsunami warning, and there were no immediate reports of casualties or damage.

Sarangani Island rescuer Harly Sauro told AFP the earthquake struck while many residents had gathered at a local government facility to receive financial assistance.

He said the shaking was strong enough to cause panic, with people running and shouting, but no one at the gathering was injured.

Sauro added that an initial assessment suggested there were unlikely to be casualties or significant damage.

“The shaking was quite strong. I saw people in panic. They were running and shouting,” he said.

“The earthquake came while the local government was giving a financial subsidy, so there were many people at the court, but everyone’s safe,” he added.

“Based on our assessment and experience, we don’t think there will be casualties or damage.”

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center measured the earthquake at a depth of 62 kilometres.

The latest tremor comes weeks after a powerful earthquake struck nearby Mindanao on June 8, killing at least 76 people, damaging buildings and triggering landslides.

That quake, caused by movement along the Cotabato Trench, lifted parts of the seabed by as much as two metres, exposing coral and damaging marine life.

Earthquakes are frequent in the Philippines, which lies along the Pacific Ring of Fire, an area known for intense seismic activity stretching from Japan through Southeast Asia and across the Pacific.