The United States Geological Survey (USGS) said a 7.1-magnitude earthquake hit the northern Philippines on Wednesday, while residents of the capital Manila reported buildings shaking.
The epicenter of the shallow earthquake occurred at 08:43 am (Tuesday ET) Wednesday local time (Tuesday ET) at 08:43 in Abra state on the main island of Luzon.
The USGS initially reported a magnitude of 6.8 degrees, but later updated it to 7.1.
In Dolores, feeling the full force of the earthquake, frightened people fled their buildings and windows of a local supermarket were smashed, Police Major Edwin Sergio told AFP.
Adding that there were small cracks in the walls of the police station, Sergio said, “The earthquake was very strong.”
No loss of life or major damage was reported in the first phase of the earthquake.
The Philippines is frequently affected by earthquakes due to its location on the Pacific “Ring of Fire”, an arc of intense seismic activity that stretches from Japan to Southeast Asia and the Pacific Rim.
source: Noticias
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