Magnitude 6.4 quake shakes northern Philippines

A strong magnitude 6.4 earthquake shook the northern Philippines late Tuesday, the U.S. Geological Service said, as local officials warned about the potential for damage.

« We are expecting damage here, » seismologist Charm Villamil told reporters following the quake, which struck around 10:59 p.m. (2:59 p.m. GMT) near the upland town of Dolores.

She said the impact on buildings would depend on their structural integrity as well as the characteristics of the ground where they were built.

The quake, which occurred at a relatively shallow depth of 15.2 kilometers (9.4…