Northern Philippines hit by 7.1-magnitude earthquake

Residents evacuate their building after a 7.1 magnitude earthquake, some 300km away, was felt in Manila. - AFP

MANILA: A 7.1-magnitude earthquake hit the northern Philippines on Wednesday, the US Geological Survey said, shattering windows of buildings at the epicentre and shaking high-rise towers more than 300km away in the capital Manila.

The shallow but powerful quake struck the mountainous and lightly populated province of Abra on the main island of Luzon at 8.43am, the USGS said, after initially measuring the quake at 6.8 magnitude.