7.1 magnitude earthquake jolts northern Philippines

A 7.1 magnitude earthquake jolted northern Philippines island on early Wednesday, the US Geological Survey said. The tremors caused minor damages and people to flee from their buildings. No casualty or major damage has been reported so far.

According to USGS, the epicentre was about 13 kilometres southeast of the small town of Dolores, with a depth of 10 kilometres.

The shallow but powerful quake struck the mountainous and lightly populated province of Abra on the main island of Luzon at 8:43 am (0043 GMT), the USGS said, after initially measuring the quake at 6.8 magnitude.

The tremor was so strong that it was also felt in the capital Manila city, which is almostmore than 400 kilometres away from the epicentre, wherethe city's metro rail systems had been halted at rush hour after the quake, the transport ministry said.

According to media reports, the senate building in the capital was also evacuated.Renato Solidum, director of the state seismology agency, told DZMM radio station, that the quake could have caused damage in Abra where Dolores is located, but did not see damage in Manila.

"The quake was very strong," Sergio told AFP, adding that there were minor cracks in the police station building.

"Vegetables and fruits sold in the market were also disarranged after tables were toppled."

According to reports, Wednesday's quake was the strongest recorded in the Philippines in years. The previous high was recorded in October 2013, when a magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck Bohol Island in the central Philippines, killing over 200 people and triggering landslides.

Following the initial shallow tremors, several aftershocks followed the quake, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said on Wednesday.

Several videos have emerged on social media showing minor cracks on the road and people being evacuated from buildings. However, no visible damage to shops or houses have been reported so far, local media reports.

Police chief Major Nazareno Emia told AFP that anumber of people were injured in Bangued and taken to hospital for treatment.

The Philippines is an earthquake-prone island as it is located on the Pacific "Ring of Fire", an arc of intense seismic activity that stretches from Japan through Southeast Asia and across the Pacific basin.

The island nation is also lashed by about 20 typhoons and tropical storms every year, making it one of the world’s most disaster-prone countries.

(With inputs from agencies)

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