Magnitude 7.3 earthquake rattles southern Philippines

Magnitude 7.3 earthquake rattles southern Philippines An offshore earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.3 struck Davao Oriental province in the southern Philippines on Thursday, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said. The institute said the quake, which struck at 1:46 a.m. local time, hit at a depth of 69 kilometers, about 19 kilometers northeast of Mati City. The agency said the quake, which was tectonic in origin, can trigger aftershocks and cause damage. The quake was also felt in South Cotabato province on Mindanao island and as far as Leyte province in the central Philippines, the institute added.

5.4-magnitude quake hits 177 km ENE of Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands

An earthquake with a magnitude of 5.4 jolted 177 km ENE of Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands at 1502 GMT on Wednesday, the U.S. Geological Survey said.

The epicenter, with a depth of 10.0 km, was initially determined to be at 15.8906 degrees north latitude and 147.2585 degrees east longitude. Enditem