Strong quake shakes southern Philippines, classes suspended

DAVAO, Philippines (AP) — A strong, shallow earthquake has shaken a mountainous region in the southeastern Philippines but there are no immediate reports of major damage or injuries. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology says the magnitude 6.1 quake on Wednesday was centered at a depth of 7 miles in Davao de Oro province. It says several southern cities and provinces were rocked by the quake and that aftershocks are expected. Classes and government work in the province of 700,000 people will be suspended on Thursday to allow inspections of buildings for any damage. The Philippines lies along the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” an arc of faults around the Pacific Ocean where most of the world’s earthquakes occur.