A scaring strong earthquake jolts the southern Philippines on Tuesday morning, knocking out power in some areas, sending people out of homes and buildings, but no reports of any damage or casualties from the quake.
It was close to the town of Kisante and less than 100 kilometers (60 miles) from Davao City. It was about 50 kilometers (30 miles) deep.
According to the US Geological Survey, the 6.8 magnitude earthquake struck on Mindanao island in the south. Philippine seismologists said it was a lower magnitude of 6.4.
Davao city Mayor Sara Duterte suspended school
classes to let authorities to inspect buildings for possible damage after the
latest quake to hit the region in recent weeks.
A 6.3 magnitude
earthquake earlier this month in the same region killed five people and caused
damage to a number of schools and other buildings.
Seismic activity is common in the Philippines, which lies on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” the ring of faults around the Pacific Ocean where most of the world’s earthquakes occur.
A magnitude 7.7 quake killed nearly 2,000 people in the northern Philippines in 1990.
