As the world was still reeling from the devastating earthquake in Venezuela — which claimed hundreds of lives and brought multi-storey buildings crashing down like houses of cards — another earthquake has struck, sending people into a fresh wave of panic.
A powerful earthquake measuring 6.5 on the Richter scale has hit southern Philippines. The tremors struck at around 7:30 in the evening, sending residents rushing out of their homes in fear. Authorities promptly alerted the public as a precautionary measure, advising people to move to higher ground.
Officials initially estimated the magnitude at 6.7, but later revised it down to 6.5. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) reported that the epicentre was located approximately 35 kilometres from the town of Jose Abad Santos on the island of Mindanao.
With no tsunami warning issued following the quake, residents breathed a collective sigh of relief. Authorities have also stated that no casualties or property damage have been reported so far.