4.1-magnitude quake hits Verde Island Passage off Batangas

MANILA, Philippines — A 4.1-magnitude earthquake struck off Batangas Wednesday morning, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said.

The tremor hit 21 kilometers (km) southwest of Calatagan in Batangas under the Verde Island Passage at 11: 37 a.m.

The Verde Island Passage is a major sea lane for interisland ships.

The earthquake was  tectonic in origin and had a depth of 108 km.

Phivolcs said no aftershocks and damage were expected from the earthquake.

The Philippines sits on the Pacific “Ring of Fire” where continental plates collide causing frequent seismic and volcanic activity. /cbb