MANILA, Philippines (Updated 12:13 p.m.) — Aftershocks are expected after a magnitude 6.1 quake hit Balut Island in Sarangani on Saturday morning, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology reported.
In an earlier bulletin, Phivolcs said a magnitude 6.5 tremor hit the island and that damage was expected. This has been downgraded and the assessment that damage might occur has been removed.
The earthquake struck at 10:26 a.m., 234 kilometers southeast of Balut Island in the municipality of Sarangani, Davao Occidental, with a depth of 66 kilometers.
Phivolcs said the origin of the quake was tectonic, or due to the sudden movement of along fault and plate boundaries.
Intensity III was reported in Sarangani, Davao Occidental, while Intensity I was reported in Lebak, Sultan Kudarat.
The state seismology and volcanology bureau added that the quake posed no threat of a tsunami to any part of the country.