MANILA, Philippines (Xinhua) - An earthquake measuring 6.2 on the Richter scale struck off the coast of Batanes at 11:29 a.m. local time today, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) said.
The epicenter of the quake was initially determined to be 20.75 degrees north latitude and 119.92 degrees east longitude, with a depth of 32 kilometers.
PHIVOLCS said intensity III tremor was felt in the town of Calayan in Cagayan province and Laoag City in Ilocos Norte province while intensity II tremor was felt in Vigan town, Ilocos Sur province. The agency said it expects aftershocks.
No casualties and losses have been reported so far.
The Philippines sits on the Pacific "Ring of Fire" where continental plates collide, causing frequent seismic and volcanic activity. About 20 to 25 earthquakes occur in the country everyday, most of them not felt by the general populace.