Strong 6.8 Quake Hits Mindanao, No Damage Reported

A 6.8-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of the southern Philippines on Saturday, the United States Geological Survey said, but no tsunami warning was issued and there were no immediate reports of damage.

The shallow quake hit just before 6:30 am (2230 GMT) about 20 kilometres (12 miles) from the village of Barcelona on the east of Mindanao island, USGS said. Many people were jolted from their beds by the strong shaking.

The local seismological agency said no damage was expected from the earthquake. In Lingig municipality, where Barcelona is located, local disaster officer Ian Onsing reported being woken by the tremor.

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“The shaking was quite strong. The things around here were moving. I guess, the shaking took around 10-15 seconds,” Onsing told AFP by telephone.

“So far, there are no reported casualties or damages. We are now monitoring the shores for any rough movement.”

In Hinatuan municipality, about 25 kilometres north of Barcelona, local disaster officer Jerome Ramirez observed appliances moving for around 30 seconds. Ramirez reported no injuries or damage in coastal communities and noted ongoing monitoring for possible aftershocks.

A series of aftershocks were felt in some areas in Mindanao, with the strongest at 5.9 magnitude about 36 kilometres east of Barcelona, according to USGS.

“Aftershocks are happening here every after two minutes, but we’re glad it’s not as strong as the earthquake this morning,” Onsing said.

Earthquakes regularly strike the Philippines, which sits along the Pacific Ring of Fire, an arc of intense seismic and volcanic activity. Most are too weak to be felt by humans, but strong and destructive quakes occur randomly with no technology available to predict when and where they will happen.

In December, a 7.6-magnitude quake struck off Mindanao, briefly triggering a tsunami warning. That quake caused residents along the east coast of the island to flee buildings, evacuate a hospital, and seek higher ground. At least three people died.