Strong quake jolts Mindanao regions

Two earthquakes, including a 6.5-magnitude tremor, jolted Southern Mindanao’s eastern shores on Saturday morning, the Philippine Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) reported.

Phivolcs in a bulletin said the 6.5-magnitude quake was recorded at 6:23 a.m. about 67 kilometers east of Lingig, Surigao del Sur. It had a depth of 10 kilometers. Strong aftershocks followed one after the other as far as Davao Oriental.

Many people would have been sleeping when the strong shaking jolted them from their beds.

The tremors did not trigger a tsunami alert, according to the US Tsunami Warning System and the Philippine Seismological Agency (PSA).

The PSA said no damage was expected from the earthquakes, but it warned of aftershocks in the region.

In Lingig municipality, where Barcelona is located, local disaster officer Ian Onsing said he was awakened by the shaking.

“The shaking was quite strong. Things around here were moving. I guess the shaking took around 10 to 15 seconds,” Onsing told AFP by telephone. with afp