Magnitude 5.5 earthquake strikes off Surigao

MANILA, Philippines (Xinhua) - An earthquake measuring 5.5 on the Richter scale struck off the coast of Surigao del Norte at 12:41 p.m. local time today, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) said.

The epicenter of the quake was initially determined to be 10.13 degrees north latitude and 127 degrees east longitude, with a depth of 10 km.

PHIVOLCS said intensity I tremor was felt in Surigao City and that aftershocks are expected.

The Philippines sits on the Pacific "Ring of Fire" where continental plates collide, causing frequent seismic and volcanic activity. About 20 to 25 earthquakes occur in the country everyday, most of them not felt.