MANILA, April 23 (Xinhua) -- A 6.5-magnitude earthquake struck Eastern Samar province in the central Philippines on Tuesday, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said.
The institute said the earthquake, which struck at 1:37 p.m. local time, hit at a depth of 63 km, about 19 km northwest of San Julian town in Eastern Samar province.
The temblor was felt in a number of central and northern Philippine cities, including Tacloban City in Leyte province, Catbalogan City in Samar, and Masbate city, Legazpi city and Sorsogon city in the Bicol region, south of Manila, the institute said.
According to local media, people in the central Philippines scrambled out of buildings and houses after the earthquake was felt.
No casualties and damage have been reported yet.
The Phivolcs said the quake was tectonic in origin and aftershocks are expected.
The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake had a magnitude of 6.3.
This is the second earthquake that jolted the Philippines in less than 24 hours. On Monday, a 6.1-magnitude quake also rattled the Philippine main Luzon island at 5:11 p.m. local time, killing at least nine people and injuring more than 80 others.
