Hanoi (VNA) - A magnitude-6.5 earthquake struck off the southern Philippines on the evening of June 26, less than three weeks after a powerful quake in the same area claimed more than 80 lives.
According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), the earthquake occurred at 7:42 pm local time (6:42 pm Vietnam time) on June 26. Its epicentre was located 52.4km beneath the seabed, about 35km southwest of the town of Jose Abad Santos on Mindanao island. The USGS initially reported the quake at magnitude 6.7 before revising it to 6.5.
There have been no immediate reports of casualties or damage, and authorities have not issued a tsunami warning.
On June 8, Mindanao was hit by a magnitude-7.8 earthquake that caused buildings to collapse, triggered landslides and forced thousands of people to evacuate. The quake also prompted tsunami warnings across the region.
The Philippines is among the world's most disaster-prone countries due to its location on the Pacific Ring of Fire, where most of the Earth's active faults and volcanoes are concentrated. In addition to dozens of tropical storms each year, the archipelago is frequently affected by powerful earthquakes and volcanic activity.
Mindanao lies near the convergence of several major tectonic plates within the Pacific Ring of Fire. The Cotabato Trench, located about 50km off the island's southern coast, is a highly active seismic zone. Earlier this January, the area recorded thousands of minor earthquakes./.
Messages of sympathy sent to Philippines over losses caused by earthquake
General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and State President To Lam, and Prime Minister Le Minh Hung on June 11 sent messages of sympathy to Philippine President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos over great losses of life and property caused by a recent earthquake in the southern Philippines.
