A 6.8-magnitude earthquake struck west of Davao in the south of the Philippines on 31 October, the second strong in a week.

A  6.8-magnitude earthquake strikes west of Davao in the south of the Philippines on 31 October, the second strong in a week. (Photo: Al Jazeera)

According to the United States Geological Survey, the tremor hit at a depth of 22 km.

On 29 October, a 6.6-magnitude earthquake hit Cotabato province on Mindanao island, killing at least six people and injuring nearly 200 others.

The Philippines, which lies along the "Pacific Ring of Fire," is surrounded by numerous active faults and trenches on both sides of the archipelago. The country has frequent seismic activity.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) records an average of 20 earthquakes a day and 100 to 150 earthquakes are felt per year.

(Source: VNA)