Strong quake sends people out of malls in south Philippines
Posted December 15, 2019 2:49 am.
DAVAO, Philippines — A strong earthquake jolted the southern Philippines on Sunday, prompting people to rush out of shopping malls, houses and other buildings in panic.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said the 6.9-magnitude quake struck an area about 6 kilometres (3.7 miles) northwest of Padada town in Davao del Sur province. The quake was set off by movement in a local fault at a depth of 30 kilometres (18 miles).
Officials did not immediately report any major damage or injuries.
The Davao region has been hit by successive earthquakes in recent months, causing deaths and injuries and damaging houses, hotels, malls and hospitals.
The Philippine archipelago lies on the so-called Pacific “Ring of fire,” an arc of faults around the Pacific Ocean where most of the world’s earthquakes occur.
The Associated Press
