Magnitude 5.9 quake jolts southern Philippines

A 5.9 magnitude earthquake jolted the southern Philippines on Saturday, triggering panic among residents but no immediate reports of damage or casualties, the Deutsche Presse-Agentur, DPA, cited a government agency as saying.

The quake's epicentre was located north-west of Malapatan town in the province of Sarangani, 1,068 kilometres south of Manila, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said.

The tremor was felt strongest in Malapatan and the nearby town of Alabel and General Santos City at intensity 5, the institute added.