© Jaypee Catalan via ReutersA damaged local town hall is seen in Mabini, Davao Del Sur, Philippines after a magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck October 29, 2019 in this picture obtained from social media
A 6.6-magnitude
earthquake struck the southern
Philippines on Tuesday, geologists said, injuring people and damaging buildings while sending terrified locals fleeing into the streets as schools and offices opened for the day.
The shallow tremor hit the island of Mindanao in the same region where a deadly quake struck earlier this month, the US Geological Survey said, adding there was no tsunami threat.
The quake hit near the town of Kisante, less than 100km from Davao City, the hometown of Philippine President
Rodrigo Duterte and one of the most populated cities in the country. It was about 50km deep.
"Our municipal hall has been destroyed," said Reuel Limbungan, mayor of Tulunan, a town near the epicentre.
"We are receiving lots of reports of injuries, but we have to confirm them," he said.
Rescue teams have begun fanning out to assess the damage to the region, where electricity and phone services were knocked out by the power of the quake.
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