5.3 magnitude earthquake jolts N. Philippines

A 5.3 magnitude earthquake jolted the Philippine province of Occidental Mindoro early Friday, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said.The quake occurred at 4:03 a.m with the epicenter being traced 17 kilometers southwest of Looc township. No damage was reported, but Phivolcs said aftershocks are expected.The 5.3-magnitude quake was felt at Intensity 3 in Quezon City and Muntinlupa City, Phivolcs said.Renato Solidum, Philvolcs director, told a local radio station that the tremor can be attributed to the movement of the Lubang Fault.The Philippines sits in the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, an area where continental plates collide producing frequent earthquakes and volcanic activities.
The worst earthquake in the country happened on Aug. 16, 1976 after a tsunami caused by a quake killed 5,000 to 8,000 people in the Moro Gulf region in southern Philippines.