Tsunami alert lifted after undersea quake off Philippines

There were no immediate report of casualties. (File/AFP)

• The quake struck 193 km east of the city of General Santos
• The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said a tsunami threat existed for parts of the Pacific “closer to the earthquake”

MANILA, Philippines: A strong undersea earthquake struck off the southern Philippines on Saturday and the head of the country’s quake-monitoring agency advised people in a southeastern province to avoid beaches in case of a tsunami.
No casualties or damage have been reported.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said that the quake was detected at a depth of 49 kilometers (30 miles) and a magnitude of 7.1 about 162 kilometers (100 miles) off Davao Oriental province. It said that it could generate aftershocks but the agency did not expect any damage.
The US Geological Survey said the quake hit at a depth of 60 kilometers (37 miles) and measured 6.9.
According to the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, hazardous tsunami waves are possible within 300 kilometers (186 miles) of the epicenter along the coasts of the Philippines and Indonesia.
Renato Solidum, who heads the quake-monitoring institute, said that a major tsunami was unlikely given the depth of the quake and other factors but advised villagers to avoid the beach in Davao Oriental province and outlying regions for about two hours after the quake struck around noon as a precaution.
The quake was felt in some coastal areas, he said.
Indonesia’s Meteorology and Geophysics Agency said the quake doesn’t have a potential to cause a tsunami affecting Indonesia.