Several earthquakes shake the Philippines, trigger tsunami alert

A new magnitude-6.6 earthquake hit the southern Philippines Sunday, hours after a strong earthquake in the same region left at least two dead and triggered a tsunami warning.

According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the earthquake occurred at a depth of roughly 35 miles northeast of the municipality of Hinatuan, on the island of Mindanao in the province of Surigao del Sur. This is the same area where the first magnitude-7.6 earthquake occurred the night after before.

Philippine authorities reported that at least two people died during the first earthquake, which has already registered at least five aftershocks, including the last one this Sunday.

According to local authorities, the deceased are a 30-year-old man from the town of Bislig, in the province of Surigao del Sur, who was crushed to death by a wall of his house; and a pregnant woman who died in Tagum City in the province of Davao del Norte, for reasons that are still unknown. In addition, two people were slightly injured by falling debris in the town of Tandag, about 60 miles north of Bislig.

At the moment, there is no information on buildings or infrastructure that have suffered significant damage, disaster management authorities told AFP on Sunday.

Tsunami warning

Saturday's quake was recorded at a depth of about 20 miles at a distance of roughly 13 miles northeast of Hinatuan. A tsunami warning was immediately issued in the Pacific region, and residents of the coastal areas of eastern Mindanao were urged to immediately evacuate and move to higher ground or inland.

The Philippine Institute of Seismology initially warned of a devastating tsunami with waves that "pose a threat to life."

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (OTWC) in Hawaii also issued a warning, but later announced it had been lifted. The Philippine Institute of Seismology also ultimately canceled the alert.

Earthquakes occur frequently in the Philippines, an archipelago located in the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, an area of intense seismic and volcanic activity that extends from Japan to the Pacific Rim through Southeast Asia. Most are mild in intensity.