Philippines

Powerful Quake Rouses People From Sleep in South Philippines

The Philippines sits on the Pacific "Ring of Fire," where earthquakes and volcanoes are common

Philippine officials say a powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 7.2 has struck off a southern province and prompted a local tsunami warning, but there are no immediate reports of damage or injuries.

Renato Solidum of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology says the pre-dawn quake was centered at sea off Sarangani province and struck relatively deep below the seabed Saturday. The quake roused people from sleep, but there were no reports of casualties.

Solidum says coastal towns were warned of possible small tsunami waves of less than 3 feet, which did not require villagers to evacuate.

The Philippines sits on the Pacific "Ring of Fire," where earthquakes and volcanoes are common. A magnitude-7.7 quake killed nearly 2,000 people in the northern Philippines in 1990. 

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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