Magnitude-5 earthquake rattles southern Philippines

MANILA, Oct. 16 (Xinhua) -- An earthquake of 5 magnitude rattled the southern Philippine Zamboanga del Norte Province on Tuesday, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said.

The institute said the quake, which struck at 11:52 p.m. local time, hit at a depth of 53 km, about 43 km northwest of Jose Dalman town in Zamboanga del Norte Province.

The quake was also felt in nearby cities of Dipolog and Zamboanga and even in Sibulan town in Negros Oriental province and Cebu City in the central Philippines.

The institute said the tremor, which was tectonic in origin, will not cause any damage. However, the institute said that aftershocks are expected.