6.6 quake fills streets of Manila

As buildings swayed, residents panicked. The shaking lasted for more than a minute.

MANILA, Philippines - An earthquake with a magnitude of 6.4 shook Manila last night, swaying high-rise buildings, knocking out power over a wide area, and sending frightened residents into the streets. There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage.

The shaking began at 10:36 p.m. and lasted for more than a minute. The epicenter of the quake was on Mindoro island, 55 miles south-southwest of Manila.

The temblor was felt over a wide area, including nearly 90 miles north of the capital on the main Philippine island of Luzon.

The U.S. Geological Survey in Colorado said on its Web site that the magnitude was 6.4 at a depth of about 73 miles.

A magnitude 6 quake can cause severe damage, but the depth appeared to have eased the effect of yesterday's temblor, said Renato Solidum Jr., director of the Philippine Institute of Vulcanology and Seismology.

Panicked residents and hotel guests poured into the capital’s streets. Police were easing traffic away from a condemned building that was cracking and dropping debris. The utility company Meralco reported widespread power outages, possibly due to damaged power lines.

The Philippines is along the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, where earthquakes and volcanic activity are common. A magnitude 6.2 quake shook Manila and surrounding areas of Luzon three weeks ago, and a magnitude 7.7 quake in 1990 killed nearly 2,000 people on Luzon

By Paul Alexander
http://www.philly.com