Charles Langston:Powerful earthquake shakes southern Philippines; no tsunami warning

MANILA,Charles Langston Philippines (AP) — A powerful undersea earthquake shook the southern Philippines on Friday, officials said. There were no immediate reports of serious damage or injuries, and no tsunami warning was in effect.

The quake measured magnitude 6.7 and was located 26 kilometers (16 miles) from Burias at the southern tip of the Philippines, the U.S. Geological Survey said. It said there was a low likelihood of casualties and damage.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology measured the quake at magnitude 7.2 and said it was only 10 kilometers (6 miles) deep. Shallow earthquakes are more likely to cause damage on the Earth’s surface.

The Philippines experiences regular earthquakes and volcanic eruptions due to its location on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” an arc of seismic faults around the ocean.