Magnitude 6.2 Earthquake Strikes Philippines

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

The earthquake struck at a depth of 124 kilometres (77 miles) at around 10:00 am (0200 GMT) in waters about three hours’ drive from the capital Manila.

Calatagan municipality police chief Emil Mendoza said he and his staff rushed outside following the tremor, which was also felt over the country’s heavily populated heartland, including Manila.

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

There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage, but disaster authorities have been deployed to assess the impact of the tremor, Mendoza said.

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

The earthquake sent people rushing out of buildings in the capital.

“As of now, no major damage or casualties as of reporting time. Assessment still ongoing,” Mariano told reporters in a message.