Magnitude 6.8 earthquake hits southern Philippines

MANILA, Aug. 3 (Xinhua) -- An offshore earthquake with a magnitude of 6.8 struck Surigao del Sur province in the southern Philippines on Saturday morning, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology reported.

The institute said the quake, which occurred at 6:22 a.m. local time, hit at a depth of 9 kilometers, about 66 kilometers northeast of Lingig, a coastal town.

The tremor was also felt in many provinces on Mindanao region, including Agusan del Sur, Davao de Oro, Davao City, Davao Occidental, and even some areas in the central Philippines.

The institute said the tectonic quake will trigger aftershocks but will not cause damage.

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