COTABATO, Philippines (Xinhua) – A magnitude 5.3 undersea earthquake hit the southern Philippines this afternoon, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) said.
No casualties were immediately reported.
The quake at a depth of 600.4 kilometers was recorded at 4:26 p. m. with its epicenter at 79 km southwest of Cotabato City in the southern Philippine region of Mindanao, USGS said on its website.
The tremor was felt in the cities such as Pagadian, General Santos. Officials were still determining whether there are casualties or damages.
The Philippines sits in the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, an area where continental plates collide producing frequent earthquakes and
volcanic activities.