Magnitude 6.4 earthquake strikes off southern Philippines, felt in central Indonesia

The 6.4-magnitude offshore earthquake struck off Davao Occidental province in the southern Philippines at 10.02am local time on Sept 29, 2019, at a depth of 60km. PHOTO: INQNATIONAL/TWITTER
According to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, the earthquake struck off Davao Occidental province in the southern Philippines at 10.02am local time on Sunday (Sept 29). PHOTO: USGS

JAKARTA/MANILA (XINHUA) - A revised 6.4-magnitude earthquake struck off Davao Occidental province in the southern Philippines on Sunday morning (Sept 29) and was felt in North Sulawesi province in central Indonesia.

The quake hit near the border of the two countries, said Mr Widyatmoko, an official in charge at the Indonesian meteorology and geophysics agency told the Xinhua news agency.

"The quake (was) centred in the Philippine territory but it is situated near the border of Indonesia and the Philippines," he said.

There was no potential for a tsunami, Indonesia's meteorology and geophysics agency said after the quake.

The agency had initially put the quake's magnitude at 6.7.

Indonesia is vulnerable to earthquakes, as it lies on a quake-impacted zone called the "Pacific Ring of Fire."

Last Thursday, Indonesia's eastern province of Ambon was hit by a 6.5-magnitude quake, leaving at least 30 people dead, 156 others wounded and massive infrastructure damage, according to the national disaster management agency.

According to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, the 6.4-magnitude offshore earthquake struck off Davao Occidental province in the southern Philippines at 10.02am local time on Sunday at a depth of 60km, about 130km south-east of the town of Jose Abad Santos.

There was no reported casualties or damage, but aftershocks are expected, said the institute.

The quake, which was tectonic in origin, was also felt in the Philippine cities of Kidapawan, Davao, Sarangani, General Santos, Cagayan de Oro, Gingoog and Bislig on Mindanao island, the institute added.

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