6.0 magnitude earthquake rocks Philippines
According to the US Geological Survey, a 6.0 magnitude earthquake struck the southern Philippines on Tuesday (Mar 7, 2007), but no casualties were reported or major damage was done.
The earthquake struck at approximately 2:00 PM local time (0600 GMT), just a few kilometers from Maragusan municipality, in the mountainous Davao de Oro province on Mindanao Island.
Cherrylyn Dapiton, of the Maragusan catastrophe office, confirmed that there was a landslide close to a road but that it had not affected anyone and blocked traffic.
The quake lasted about 30 seconds and was followed by aftershocks, said Corporal Stephanie Clemen, with police in the city of Tagum, about 40km from Maragusan.
“We immediately went under our desks and when the ground stopped shaking we went straight outside,” Clemen told AFP.
“We are still outside because a moderate aftershock just hit.”
While the quake did not appear to have destroyed anything, Clemen said, it was strong enough to “cause fear”.
