Magnitude 6.7 earthquake strikes off the coast of Mindanao Island in Philippines

Manila, Jan 7 (IANS) The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said a magnitude 6.7 earthquake hit off Davao Oriental province in the southern Philippines on Wednesday morning.

The institute said the earthquake occurred at 11:02 a.m. local time at a depth of 42 kilometers, with the epicentre about 47 kilometres from the coastal town of Manay.

Tremors were felt across the island.

The institute said the earthquake is expected to generate aftershocks and cause damage, particularly in areas near the epicentre, Xinhua news agency reported.

Police and disaster officials near the quake's epicentre said there were no immediate ‍reports of damage or injuries ‍from the earthquake.

Earlier on December 22, 2025, an earthquake with a magnitude of 5.7 had jolted waters near the Philippines , the GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences had said.

The epicentre, with a depth of 10 km, was initially determined to be at 8.32 degrees north latitude and 127.57 degrees east longitude.

In October 2025, a strong 6.9-magnitude earthquake rocked the central region of the Philippines, leaving behind extensive damage, numerous casualties, and widespread fear. Several structures were damaged or collapsed, while electricity supply was disrupted in multiple locations, intensifying the chaos among residents.

The quake originated roughly 19 kilometres northeast of Bogo, a seaside city in Cebu province, and struck at a very shallow depth of about five kilometres. Following the tremor, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology issued a tsunami warning as a precaution, which was later withdrawn after monitoring confirmed that no dangerous sea waves had formed.

The Philippines experiences frequent and often severe earthquakes due to its location in one of the world’s most geologically active zones — the Pacific Ring of Fire. This vast belt is marked by constant movement of tectonic plates, resulting in intense seismic and volcanic activity.

In the central Philippines, seismic activity is influenced mainly by interactions between the Philippine Sea Plate and the Eurasian Plate. To the east, the Philippine Sea Plate is being forced beneath the Philippine Microplate along the Philippine Trench. On the western side, the Eurasian, or Sunda, Plate subducts beneath the islands along the Manila and Negros Trenches.

This rare 'double subduction' setting builds immense underground pressure. Although Tuesday’s earthquake was triggered by a shallow local fault, the underlying stress from these converging plates played a crucial role, explaining why the country remains highly vulnerable to earthquakes.