The quake struck off the coast of Mindanao, near the city of General Santos, at a depth of 60 km, according to the German Research Center for Geosciences (GFZ). The Philippine seismological agency PHIVOLCS and the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said no tsunami was expected.
A damaged ceiling at a shopping mall in General Santos City after a 6.7 magnitude earthquake. Photo: AFP
Amor Mio, police chief of Koronadal city, near the epicenter of the quake, said there were no reports of casualties but officials were inspecting a shopping mall believed to have been damaged.
“The staff were ordered to evacuate for their safety,” Mio said by phone. “According to the police in the area, there was major damage but we cannot determine the exact extent yet.”
PHIVOLCS Director Teresito Bacolcol told DZRH radio that the magnitude of the quake was “devastating so we can expect some damage.” He said the quake lasted a few seconds and advised people to be alert for aftershocks as strong as 6.2 magnitude.
Radio announcer Leny Aranego in General Santos City said the quake damaged walls and knocked computers off desks. “We saw walls cracking and computers falling,” Aranego told DZRH radio.
Michael Ricafort, an economist at RCBC, said in a Facebook post that passengers at the airport in General Santos City were evacuated to the tarmac.
Earthquakes are frequent in the Philippines, a country located on the "Ring of Fire", a volcanic belt that encircles the Pacific Ocean and is highly prone to seismic activity.
Huy Hoang (according to AFP, AP, Reuters)
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