The earthquake occurred off the coast of Mindanao, near the city of General Santos, at a depth of 60 km, according to the German Geological Survey (GFZ). The Philippine seismological agency PHIVOLCS and the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said no tsunami was expected.
Damaged ceilings at a shopping mall in General Santos after a 6.7 magnitude earthquake. Photo: AFP
Amor Mio, police chief of Koronadal city, near the earthquake's epicenter, said there were no reports of casualties but officials were inspecting a shopping mall believed to have been damaged.
Mio said by phone: “The staff have been ordered to evacuate for their safety. According to police in the area, there has been significant damage, but we cannot yet determine the exact extent.”
PHIVOLCS director Teresito Bacolcol told radio station DZRH that the earthquake's intensity was "destructive, so we can expect damage." He said the earthquake lasted a few seconds and warned people to be alert for aftershocks up to 6.2 magnitude.
Radio announcer Leny Aranego in General Santos said the earthquake damaged walls and knocked computers off desks. "We saw cracked walls and computers falling," Aranego told radio station DZRH.
Michael Ricafort, an economist at RCBC, said in a Facebook post that passengers at the airport in General Santos City had been evacuated to the runway.
Earthquakes are frequent in the Philippines, a country located on the "Ring of Fire," a volcanic belt surrounding the Pacific Ocean and a region highly prone to seismic activity.
Huy Hoang (according to AFP, AP, Reuters)
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