Philippines: A magnitude-6.8 offshore earthquake occurs off eastern Mindanao Island at around 06:23 Aug. 3

A magnitude-6.8 Earthquake occurred in the Philippine Sea off the eastern coast of Mindanao Island at around 06:23 Aug. 3. The epicenter was about 19 km (12 miles) east of Barcelona. The tremor occurred at a depth of about 17 km (11 miles), and moderate to strong shaking was probably felt throughout central, eastern, and northern Mindanao Island, Siargao Island, and southeastern Dinagat Island. There have been no initial reports of damage or casualties as a result of the earthquake. It could take several hours until authorities can conduct comprehensive damage assessments, especially in remote areas. Aftershocks are likely over the coming days. The event has not prompted any tsunami advisories.

Officials may temporarily shut down transportation infrastructure in the tremor zone to check for damage. Minor disruptions could occur during shutdowns, but service will likely resume quickly if no damage is found. Utility outages are possible, particularly near the earthquake's epicenter.