6.0-magnitude quake hits southern Philippines

A 6.0-magnitude earthquake has rocked the southern Philippines, the US Geological Survey said, with local authorities warning of aftershocks and possible damage.

The shallow quake struck on Wednesday at 6:44 pm (1044 GMT), near Monkayo municipality in Davao de Oro province on Mindanao island.

Shallow earthquakes tend to cause more damage than deeper ones, but there were no immediate reports of major damage in the remote and mountainous gold mining region.

Monkayo police Staff Sergeant Harvey Asayas told AFP news agency the quake was strong in the beginning but gradually weakened and stopped after 40 seconds.

"The authorities are now conducting patrols around to assess damage including the fire personnel and disaster officers," Asayas said.

Police Corporal Edwin Mangigo, who is stationed at an outpost near Mount Diwata in Monkayo, said there had been no reports of casualties at local mining sites.

'It was strong'

In Tagum city, in Davao del Norte province, about 40 kilometres south west of the epicentre, residents also fled their homes and power was knocked out by the force of the quake.

"We were eating when (the house) began to shake - it was strong," said Grace Jao, 40.

"We ran outside - we had to take safety measures. We did not see any damage inside the house when we got back."

READ MORE: Powerful earthquake injures dozens in northern Philippines

Most earthquakes are too weak to be felt by humans, but strong and destructive ones come at random with no technology available to predict when and where they will strike.

The nation's civil defence office regularly holds drills simulating earthquake scenarios along active fault lines.

The last major quake was in October in the northern Philippines.

The 6.4-magnitude earthquake hit the mountain town of Dolores in Abra province, injuring several people, damaging buildings and cutting power to most of the region.

A 7.0-magnitude quake in mountainous Abra last July triggered landslides and ground fissures, killing 11 people and injuring several hundred.