7.0-magnitude earthquake jolts Philippines

Manila, July 11 (IANS) An offshore earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.0 struck Sultan Kudarat province in the southern Philippines on Thursday morning, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology reported.

The institute said the quake, which occurred at 10.13 a.m. local time, hit at a depth of 722 kilometres, about 133 kilometres southwest of Palembang, a coastal town, reports Xinhua news agency.

The tremor was also felt in nearby provinces on Mindanao, the country's second-largest island, including Davao Occidental, Davao Oriental, Sarangani, Davao de Oro, Davao del Norte and Cotabato.

The institute said the tectonic quake will trigger aftershocks but will not cause damage. It added that the earthquake will not trigger a tsunami.

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

--IANS

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