Institute: Earthquake strikes Northern Philippines, no damage reported

KUALA LUMPUR, July 15 (KUNA) -- A 5.5-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Ilocos Norte province in the northernmost part of Luzon, the Philippines' main island, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) reported Tuesday.
PHIVOLCS said the earthquake occurred 21 kilometers southwest of the town of Pasuquin at a depth of 43 kilometers, the tremor was classified as tectonic in origin, caused by movements of the Earth's crustal plates.
PHIVOLCS noted that residents in northern Luzon felt varying intensities of ground shaking, ranging from Intensity I to Intensity IV.
The strongest shaking, rated at Intensity IV, was recorded in several coastal and inland areas, while other regions experienced moderate tremors at Intensity III.
Some areas only reported light shaking at Intensity II, and others experienced minimal movement at Intensity I, reflecting differing geological impacts depending on their proximity to the earthquake's epicenter and depth.
While no material damage has been reported so far, the institute warned of the possibility of aftershocks in the coming hours or days. (end) aab.dss