5.4 magnitude quake jolts Philippines

A 5.4 magnitude earthquake rattled the Philippines today, slightly shaking buildings in the capital Manila, but there were no immediate reports of damage, according to the government.

A 5.4 magnitude earthquake rattled the Philippines on Friday, slightly shaking buildings in the capital Manila, but there were no immediate reports of damage, according to the government.

HT Image

The earthquake struck at about 12:27 pm (0427 GMT) at a depth of around 24 kilometres (15 miles) off Mindoro island, about 160 kilometres southwest of Manila, the government seismology institute said.

Buildings swayed slightly in the capital and the surrounding areas but there were no immediate reports of damage.

The Philippines sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire -- a belt around the Pacific Ocean dotted by active volcanoes and unstable ocean trenches.

One fault line runs directly under Manila, a metropolis of more than 12 million people, and government seismologists have warned the city is unprepared for a major quake.