A powerful earthquake struck off the coast of the Philippines on Saturday, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. However, it occurred at a very deep depth, and local authorities do not expect significant damage. The earthquake, measuring 6.7 in magnitude, hit near the main island of Luzon at 4:48 local time (20:48 GMT on Friday) at a depth of 112 kilometers. It was followed by a 5.8 magnitude aftershock a few minutes later, also at a considerable depth.
Ronnie Oreliano, a police official in the Calatagan area, located south of Manila and close to the epicenter, stated, "This is very strong; we are concerned." He added, "It is also raining heavily, but people are used to earthquakes. They know they should duck, hold on, and take cover." He continued, "We are checking low-lying areas in case of a tsunami."
For its part, the Philippine Seismic Bureau indicated that it does not expect any damage and no tsunami warning has been issued. Bernie Faderugao from the nearby Mabini police stated, "It is not a strong earthquake compared to previous ones here. We have not been informed about any damage." The Philippines is located in the "Ring of Fire" in the Pacific where seismic activity is intense, stretching from Japan to Southeast Asia and the Pacific Basin.
