1st LD Writethru: Magnitude 7.2 earthquake rocks southern Philippines

Xinhua
17 Nov 2023, 19:05 GMT+10

MANILA, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) -- An offshore earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.2 rocked Davao Occidental in the southern Philippines on Friday afternoon, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said.

The institute said the quake, which occurred at 4:14 p.m. local time (GMT 0814), hit at a depth of 10 kilometers, about 30 kilometers southwest of Sarangani town.

The institute said the tectonic quake will trigger aftershocks and cause damage. There is no tsunami threat.

The tremor was also felt strongly in nearby areas on Mindanao island, including General Santos City and nearby provinces.

Local officials told a radio interview that the strong tremor shook off items from the shelves and prompted people to rush out of houses, schools, and buildings in panic. Possible damages were monitored by local officials, while there were no immediate reports of damage or casualties at the moment.

The archipelagic Philippines has frequent seismic activities due to its location along the Pacific "Ring of Fire."

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