Another earthquake strikes Davao, tsunami warning issued

A powerful 6.9-magnitude aftershock jolted quake-hit southern Philippines late Friday, triggering a fresh tsunami alert just hours after an earlier warning, authorities said.

The tremor struck at 7:12 p.m., prompting the Philippine seismology office to warn of "life-threatening wave heights" and urge coastal residents to "immediately evacuate to higher grounds or move farther inland."

"It is expected to experience wave heights of more than one meter above the normal tides and may be higher on enclosed bays and straits. Destructive tsunami is expected with life-threatening wave heights," Philvolcs said.

The aftershock, the largest of at least 300 recorded so far, came fewer than 10 hours after the Pacific seaboard of the southern major island of Mindanao was rocked by a 7.4-magnitude temblor, killing at least six people.

In Mati city, close to the offshore epicenter of both quakes, the latest one knocked out power.

In Davao City, more than 100 kilometers to the west, a plane that had just landed with an AFP photographer on board shook as the crew prevented passengers from immediately deplaning.

They were later allowed to disembark, but were made to wait outside on the tarmac, instead of being taken inside the passenger terminal.

There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage from the aftershock.