Strong quake leaves 1 dead, dozens injured in Philippines

DAVAO, Philippines (AP) — A powerful and shallow earthquake hit several southern Philippine provinces Wednesday night, leaving at least one person dead, injuring more than two dozen in collapsed houses and prompting thousands to scramble out of homes, shopping malls and a hospital in panic, officials and news reports said.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the magnitude 6.4 quake was centered about 8 kilometers (5 miles) from Columbio, a landlocked town in the coastal province of Sultan Kudarat. The earthquake had a depth of only 14 kilometers (9 miles). Shallow quakes tend to cause more damage than deeper ones.

Several relatively strong aftershocks were felt and officials ordered classes to be suspended Thursday to allow inspections of school buildings in the quake-hit areas, including in President Rodrigo Duterte's hometown of Davao city. Duterte was in the capital, Manila, when the quake struck. Some areas lost their power due to the quake, hampering immediate and detailed inspections of possible damages, officials said.

A fire broke out in a shopping mall in southern General Santos city shortly after the quake hit, but it was unclear whether it was sparked by the temblor, officials said.

A girl was hit by collapsed wall in a house and died in Datu Paglas town in Maguindanao province, ABS-CBN television network reported, citing a police report, adding that in nearby Tulunan town in North Cotabato province, two residents were injured by falling fragments from a concrete wall.

Vice Mayor Joselito Pinol of North Cotabato's M'lang town said patients were evacuated out of a hospital to ensure their safety during and after the quake, which injured three people by falling cinder blocks elsewhere. Several buildings were damaged and some electric posts got toppled, Pinol said, adding that the shaking was so powerful the...