Magnitude 7.3 quake rattles Philippines

An offshore earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.3 struck Davao Oriental province in the southern Philippines on Thursday, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said, reported Xinhua.

The institute said the quake, which struck at 1:46 a.m. local time, hit at a depth of 69 kilometers, about 67 kilometers southeast of Governor Generoso town.

The agency said the quake, which was tectonic in origin, can trigger aftershocks and cause damage.

The quake was also felt in South Cotabato province on Mindanao island and as far as Leyte province in the central Philippines, the institute added.

The Philippines has frequent seismic activity due to its location along the Pacific "Ring of Fire."