6.8-magnitude earthquake strikes waters off Surigao del Sur

MANILA, Philippines — A magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck off the coast of Surigao del Sur on Saturday morning, according to Phivolcs.

In an advisory, the state seismologist said the earthquake was felt at 6:22 a.m. on Saturday. It hit 66 kilometers north of the municipality of Lingig.

According to Phivolcs, the earthquake was tectonic in origin with a depth of focus of 9 km.

These are the reported intensities felt in various parts of Mindanao, which refer to the reports of people who felt the earthquake.

Intensity V (strong)

• Lingig, Surigao del Sur
• Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur
• City of Bislig, Surigao del Sur

Intensiy IV (moderately strong) 

• Nabunturan, Davao de Oro
• City of Davao

Intensity III (weak)

• Don Marcelino, Davao Occidental
• Inabanga, Bohol
• City of Baybay, Leyte

Intensity II (slightly felt)

• Mambajao, Camiguin
• Sogod, Southern Leyte
• City of Cotabato
• Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao

Phivolcs said it was expecting aftershocks but no damage from the earthquake.

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

It did not trigger a tsunami alert, according Phivolcs.and the US Tsunami Warning System..

In Lingig municipality, local disaster officer Ian Onsing said he was woken by the shaking.

"The shaking was quite strong. The things around here were moving. I guess, the shaking took around 10-15 seconds," Onsing told AFP by telephone.

"I'm not expecting any more damages, but we will go around the area again around 8:00 am just to be sure," he said.

"So far, there are no reported casualties or damages. We are now monitoring the shores for any rough movement."

In the municipality of Hinatuan, about 25 kilometres north of Barcelona in Lingig municipality, local disaster officer Jerome Ramirez saw appliances "moving for around 30 seconds" from the strong shaking.

Ramirez said there had been no reports of injuries or damage in coastal communities in the area.

"Now we are just monitoring for possible aftershocks," Ramirez told AFP by telephone.

Earthquakes regularly strike the Philippines, which sits along the Pacific Ring of Fire, an arc of intense seismic and volcanic activity that stretches from Japan through Southeast Asia and across the Pacific basin.

Most are too weak to be felt by humans but strong and destructive quakes come at random with no technology available to predict when and where they will happen.

In December, a 7.6-magnitude quake struck off Mindanao, briefly triggering a tsunami warning.

That sent residents along the east coast of the island fleeing buildings, evacuating a hospital and seeking higher ground.

At least three people died. — with a report from Agence-France Presse