5.6 quake hits Philippines

A 5.6 quake rattled the southern Philippines early Monday, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) said, a little over a day after another quake in the same region injured 10.

USGS said the quake struck at a depth of 43 kilometres (27 miles) 17 km northwest of the President Roxas district on Mindanao island at 4:08 am (2008 GMT Sunday).

There was a low likelihood of casualties and damage, according to the USGS hazard assessment system.

A quake which hit the same region Saturday night, initially assessed at 5.7 but later downgraded to 5.6, injured at least 10 people and caused minor damage to structures, officials said.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said the earlier quake, which hit at a shallower depth of 16 km, struck near the town of Carmen on Mindanao island, shaking people awake and causing panic.

It was felt in varying intensities across eight nearby towns and cities, according to the regional civil defence office.

At least 10 people were hurt due to falling debris, while 46 houses made from light materials in remote rural areas were partially damaged, the civil defence office said.

The Philippines sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire, where continental plates collide, causing frequent seismic and volcanic activity.