7.1 earthquake hits north Philippines

Manila, July 27: An earthquake with a magnitude of 7.1 jolted near Dolores in the northern Philippines on Wednesday, the US Geological Survey (USGS) said.

The quake, which struck at 00:43 GMT, was initially determined to be at 17.5978 degrees north latitude and 120.8093 degrees east longitude with a depth of 10.0 km.

According to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, the quake was centered around Abra province in a mountainous area and it was set off by movement in a local fault at a depth of 25 kilometers.

Several buildings have suffered cracks, officials told Associated Press.

There were no immediate reports of deaths or injuries. Electricity has been automatically cut off in some affected areas as a safety precaution.

"The focus of attention is on Abra and nearby provinces. This is a major earthquake. We expect strong aftershocks," said Renato Solidum, director of the state seismology agency.

It may be recalled that a magnitude 7.7 quake killed nearly 2,000 people in the northern Philippines in 1990.