Community Corner

Major Earthquake Strikes Off the Coast of Philippines

A magnitude 7.6 quake has hit the coast of the Philippines triggering tsunami warnings in the surrounding countries.

An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.6 struck off the coast of the Philippines Friday, triggering a tsunami warning for the surrounding region.

The temblor struck the Asian nation about 8:50 p.m. and its epicenter was about 58 miles east of Sulangan, Philippines -- off the province of Samar -- at a depth of 21.7 miles, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center immediately issued a tsunami warning for Indonesia, the Philippines, Belau, Yap, Taiwan, Japan, Guam and other areas.

Find out what's happening in Cerritos-Artesiawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"An earthquake of this size has the potential to generate a destructive tsunami that can strike coastlines near the epicenter within minutes and more distant coastlines within hours," the tsunami warning center said.

There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries.

Find out what's happening in Cerritos-Artesiawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Roughly 15 percent of Cerritos' total population (49,041) is comprised Filipinos, according the 2010 U.S. Census. 


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

More from Cerritos-Artesia