An earthquake of magnitude 6.1 shook the Philippine island of Masbate on Thursday, without the authorities having reported significant impacts at the moment, although they issued an alert so that the population is prepared for possible damage.
The United States Geological Survey, which records global seismic activity, indicated that the earthquake occurred at 2:10 local time (18:10 on Wednesday GMT), and located the hypocenter at a depth of 20 kilometers.
It was also reported that the closest towns are Miaga, 11 kilometers from the epicenter of the tremor, and the city of Masbate, some 27 kilometers away.
The Philippine disaster agency, for its part, reported that the tremor was felt intensely in various regions of the province, such as Masbate, Dimasalang, San Fernando and Uson, among others.
Likewise, the agency reported that at least 30 aftershocks occurred after the initial earthquake, all of mild to moderate intensity, and warned that "damages are expected".
The Philippines sits on the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, an area of ​​great seismic and volcanic activity in which some 7,000 earthquakes, mostly moderate, are recorded each year.