Powerful 7.6 magnitude earthquake rocks Philippines's Mindanao

NEW DELHI: An earthquake of magnitude 7.6 struck Mindanao, Philippines on Saturday, the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) said.
The EMSC said that the quake was at a depth of 63 km (39 miles).
Hours after the quake, the US tsunami warning system, which had issued a tsunami warning in the wake of the earthquake, said there was no longer a tsunami threat.

"Based on all available data ... the tsunami threat from this earthquake has now passed. Minor sea level fluctuations may occur in some coastal areas," it said.

Earlier, the tsunami was expected to hit the Philippines and Japan.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre, based on the magnitude and location, had also predicted that tsunami waves could hit the Philippines, Indonesia, Palau and Malaysia.
Last month on November 17, a magnitude 6.7 earthquake rattled the southern Mindanao region. However, there were no immediate reports of casualties.
Earthquakes are common in the Philippines, which lies on the "Ring of Fire", a belt of volcanoes circling the Pacific Ocean that is prone to seismic activity.

(With agencies input)

Watch Major 7.6 magnitude earthquake hits Mindanao, triggers tsunami warning