Map locating the epicentre of a 6.2-magnitude earthquake that was felt in the Philippine capital Manila on Thursday
People run out of a building as an earthquake rocking Metro Manila, the Philippines, March 25, 2010. A strong earthquake measuring 6.2 on the Richter scale hit Metro Manila on Thursday afternoon
A powerful earthquake was felt in the Philippine capital Manila on Thursday, causing office workers to rush out of buildings, but authorities said there were no immediate reports of damage.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said the quake struck in the ocean about 100 kilometres (62 miles) southwest of Manila at 1:29 pm (0529 GMT) with a magnitude of 6.0.
The US Geological Survey said the quake had a magnitude of 6.1, with its epicentre located 137 kilometres (85 miles) southwest of Manila and at a depth of 72 kilometres.
Office workers rushed out of their buildings in Manila's Makati financial district, while government employees across town hid under their tables, radio reports said.
"It felt very strong. We're on the 10th floor of the building, and we felt we were being rocked for about a minute," said Elaine Francisco, an executive with an advertising company in Makati.
"We opened the door and prepared to go out, but it ended just when about we were going to go."
Francisco said others in the lower floors of the building fled their offices, but returned when it became clear the structure was safe.
Government seismology institute chief Renato Solidum said the quake was felt in varying intensities in suburbs around the capital of 12 million people as well as in nearby provinces.
But more than an hour after the quake, Manila's Office of Civil Defence and police said there had not yet been any reports of damage.
A strong earthquake measuring 6 on the Richter scale hit Metro Manila and surrounding provinces in Luzon on Thursday afternoon, but there were no reports of mass damage or casualties.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said earlier that the quake was measured at 6.2 on the Richter scale but revised it later to magnitude 6.
In its latest bulletin published on its website, the institute said the quake's epicenter was at sea, 27 kilometers west of Lubang island in the province of Occidental Mindoro, northern Philippines.
The U.S. Geological Survey estimated the earthquake at 6.1 magnitude and at a depth of 72 kilometers, revising its earlier estimate of 33 km.
The Philippines National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) said the quake did not cause significant damage to affected areas.
Glenn Rabonza, NDCC executive officer and Office of the Civil Defense administrator, said that initial reports showed that the intensity 6 earthquake didn't cause any serious damages to property and no one was reported killed or injured.
But the quake was strongly felt in Manila as many people rushed out of buildings.
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