6.2-magnitude earthquake hits the Philippines | world News

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A 6.2-magnitude earthquake struck the Philippines on Thursday, the US Geological Survey said, while local authorities warned of possible aftershocks and damage.

The earthquake prompted people to flee buildings in the capital.

Read here: 6.2-magnitude earthquake strikes Japan’s Hokkaido Prefecture

The quake occurred at a depth of 124 kilometers at around 10:00 am (0200 GMT) in waters about three hours’ drive from the capital, Manila.

Calatagan Municipal Police Chief Emil Mendoza said he and his crew rushed outside after the quake was felt in the center of the country, including Manila.

“It was a bit strong. We had to run,” Mendoza told AFP.

Mendoza said there were no immediate reports of injuries or damage, but disaster authorities were deployed to assess the impact of the quake.

Calatagan disaster official Ronald Torres said the quake lasted between 30 seconds and a minute.

The earthquake pushed people out of buildings in the capital.

Diego Mariano, information officer for the Office of Civil Defense, said authorities were assessing the impact of the quake.

“So far, no major damage or casualties have occurred so far. The assessment is still ongoing,” Mariano told reporters in a message.

Earthquakes occur on a daily basis in the Philippines which lies along the Pacific ‘Ring of Fire’, an arc of seismic as well as volcanic activity that stretches from Japan through Southeast Asia and across the Pacific Basin.

Read here: 5 earthquakes hit Jammu and Kashmir in one day, educational institutes closed

In October 2013, a 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck the island of Bohol in the central Philippines, causing landslides and killing more than 200 people.

The ancient churches of the birthplace of Catholicism in the Philippines have been badly damaged. Nearly 400,000 people have been displaced and tens of thousands of homes have been damaged by the earthquake.

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