5.5-Magnitude Earthquake Shakes Southern Philippines

An offshore earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 5.5 struck Davao Occidental province in the southern Philippines Sunday, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said.

The institute said the offshore quake, which struck at 10:02 a.m. local time, hit at a depth of 113 km, about 235 km southeast of Jose Abad Santos town on Mindanao island, reports Xinhua News Agency.

The tremor was also felt in Kiamba town in neighboring Sarangani province.

The institute said the quake, which was tectonic in origin, can trigger aftershocks without causing damage.

An offshore earthquake with a magnitude of 5.2 also struck Davao Occidental province on Saturday morning.

The Philippines has frequent seismic activity due to its location along the Pacific “Ring of Fire.”