Philippine gov't : strong quake, but minimal effects

The Philippine government said on Saturday that the strong earthquake that hit the eastern provinces of central and southern parts of the country Friday night has just caused minimal effects. The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council ( NDRRMC) reported on Saturday noon that only one woman from southern Cagayan de Oro City died in a landslide caused by the earthquake; besides the victim, there were cracks on some roads and bridges and other establishments in areas where the quake was felt. "It's good that the damage was not severe or huge," deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said on Saturday in an interview over state-run radio station. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology ( Phivolcs) explained that the earthquake created minimal damage because its center was very far from the nearest shore of the country. The earthquake transpired about 112 kilometers off the eastern Philippine city of Guiuan and as of Saturday night, 196 aftershocks were recorded.