6.0-Magnitude Quake Rattles Philippine Capital of Manila

(March 25) -- A 6.0-magnitude earthquake rattled the Philippine capital Manila today, swaying skyscrapers for 30 seconds and sending panicked office workers streaming into crowded streets.

There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries, and no tsunami alert was issued for the archipelago.

Workers rush from a building after an earthquake March 25, 2010, in Manila, Philippines

Pat Roque, AP

Workers rush from a building after an earthquake Thursday in Manila, Philippines.

The director of the country's seismology institute, Renato Solidum, said the quake's epicenter was off Lubang Island in Mindoro Occidental province, about 80 miles southwest of Manila and six miles under the seabed. "Essentially, this would not trigger significant damage," he told The Associated Press.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake had a 6.0 magnitude. It hit around 1:30 p.m. local time.

The Philippines lies in the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, where earthquakes are common. With the Pacific Ocean on one side and the South China Sea on the other, undersea trenches -- potential quake triggers -- surround the island nation. For the most part, building codes reflect the frequency of quakes, and skyscrapers are reinforced to prevent collapse.

The last major quake there was in 1990, when nearly 2,000 people died on the main northern island of Luzon. That temblor had a magnitude of 7.7. Four years later, a 7.1-magnitude quake whipped up a tsunami that killed 78 people on Mindoro island.