7.3-magnitude earthquake hits southern Philippines

MANILA, Jan. 18 (Xinhua) -- An offshore earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.3 jolted the southern Philippines on Wednesday afternoon, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said, and no damage or casualties were reported yet.

The institute said the quake, which occurred at 2:06 p.m. local time (0606 GMT), hit at a depth of 64 km, about 352 km southeast of Sarangani town in Davao Occidental province.

The institute said the tectonic quake will trigger aftershocks and cause damage. The temblor was also felt in many areas in Mindanao, the Philippines' second largest island.

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