Series of moderate quakes strike Philippines

Students of Bagong Silangan Elementary school cover their head during an earthquake drill in Manila on March 19, 2014. A series of moderate earthquakes and aftershocks hit the Philippines early Sunday, with US geologists estimating the shallowest –
Students of Bagong Silangan Elementary school cover their head during an earthquake drill in Manila on March 19, 2014. A series of moderate earthquakes and aftershocks hit the Philippines early Sunday, with US geologists estimating the shallowest – a magnitude-5.1 tremor – at just one kilometre deep, but there were no initial reports of damage. -- PHOTO: AFP

MANILA (AFP) - A series of moderate earthquakes and aftershocks hit the Philippines early Sunday, with US geologists estimating the shallowest - a magnitude-5.1 tremor - at just one kilometre deep, but there were no initial reports of damage.

The first quake struck off the southern island of Mindanao at around 3am local time, some 30km east-northeast of the city of Cortes, according to the USGS.

It was followed by at least six moderate aftershocks, the strongest a magnitude-5.3 that was four kilometres deep, the USGS said.

There were no immediate reports of damage and no tsunami warning was issued.

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