6.9-magnitude earthquake rocks southern Philippines

An offshore earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.9 jolted Surigao del Sur province in the southern Philippines late Saturday night, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said, reported Xinhua.

The institute said the quake, which occurred at 10:37 p.m. local time (GMT 1437), hit at a depth of eight km, about 42 km northeast of Hinatuan town.

The institute said the tectonic quake will trigger aftershocks but will not cause damage. The tremor also rattled the nearby provinces.

Earlier, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) measured the earthquake at 7.7 magnitude.

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