The seismology office in Manila said it is still trying to plot the coordinates of the quake, adding that it has no reports of casualties or damage.

USGS said the quake occurred at 9:15 am (0115 GMT) and 116 kilometers (72 miles) under the seabed. There are no major population centers within a hundred kilometers of the epicenter.

Quakes of this magnitude are relatively common in the Philippines, which sits on the Pacific "Ring of Fire", but usually cause only minor damage.

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