6.4-magnitude quake hits Indonesia
A 6.4-magnitude earthquake struck off Southeast Sulawesi province in Indonesia on Saturday, but did not trigger a tsunami, Indonesia's meteorology, climatology and geophysics agency BMKG said.
At least seven people were killed and more than thousands wounded after a massive 6.4 magnitude earthquake hit Mindanao island in the southern Phillipines, according to authorities on Wednesday.
The epicentre of the quake, which hit on Tuesday, was situated around 25 km from Tulunam, Cotabato province, the same region that was hit by a 6.4-magnitude tremor around two weeks ago which left seven dead and 200 injured, Efe news reported.
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Authorities said the death toll could rise further because many injured were not immediately brought to hospitals.
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In Magsaysay town in Davao del Sur province, rescuers were trying to recover three bodies after landslides in two separate towns swallowed parts of agricultural areas, police said.
The quake was the second powerful quake to strike in Mindanao in two weeks.
Authorities had flagged the risk of landslides after the 6.3 quakes on Oct. 16 in central Mindanao that killed seven and injured more than 200.
Earthquakes are common in the Philippines, which is on the geologically active Pacific Ring of Fire.
This year, Philippines has been struck by several high-intensity earthquakes, with the most deadly tremor hitting Pampanga province in April, which killed 16 people and another in Batanes in July, which resulted in nine deaths.
The last major earthquake to hit the country took place in October 2013, when more than 220 people were killed in the central Philippines in a 7.1-magnitude tremor.
In July 1990, more than 220 people died in Luzon island in a temblor measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale, which was one of the most powerful ones to hit the country.
(With inputs from agency)
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