Jakarta: A powerful earthquake of 6.5-magnitude jolted southern Philippines on Thursday forcing people to flee from homes and offices.
Preliminary reports said some buildings were damaged due to the quake. Reports said there was no threat of a tsunami.
According to reports, the quake hit the island of Mindanao. The region was rocked by an earthquake on Tuesday killing at least six people.
Frightened residents ran to safety as the strong shaking hit just as businesses and classes opened for the day.
The Philippines suffers regular tremors as part of the Pacific “Ring of Fire”, an arc of intense seismic activity that stretches from Japan through Southeast Asia and across the Pacific basin.
This is the third quake to strike in the same area of Mindanao island, which makes up the southern third of the Philippines, since mid-October.
Prasanta Patnaik