M7.0 quake jolts northern Philippines, 4 dead

Benjamin Abalos, the country's interior minister, said at a press conference that one death was reported in Abra province, the epicenter of the quake, and two in nearby Benguet province, and that 60 others were injured. It was not immediately known where the fourth death occurred.

The quake was also strongly felt about 330 kilometers away in the capital Manila.

Among the four dead was a construction worker who died in Benguet after being hit by debris, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council. There was damage to buildings in several locations including Abra.

A photo provided by a local official showed a tilted building in Abra, which has a population of 250,000.

The quake occurred at 8:43 a.m. at a depth of 10 kilometers, the USGS said.

No tsunami warning has been issued, according to the U.S. Tsunami Warning System.

The Philippines is among the countries located in the Pacific Ring of Fire, a region at the rim of the Pacific Ocean where volcanic eruptions and earthquakes occur frequently.