Manila: A magnitude 5.7 earthquake shook provinces southeast of Manila in eastern Luzon in the early hours of Thursday.

The tremors were strong enough to wake people up from their sleep and was felt in a wide swathe of the country.

The earthquake struck around 2.10 am (10:10 pm, UAE) at a depth of 10km east of Batuan town, according to Phivolcs.

The epicenter was identified as the waters between Masbate and Sorsogon provinces, in the Bicol region.

There were no immediate reports of damage, or casualties.

Intensity 5.2 was felt in neighbouring central Visayan region, a suburb of Manila, according to local media reports.

Earlier, a magnitude 4.8 Earthquake was detected on Wednesday at 5.18 pm in the same area, Phivolcs reported. The Philippines lies in the the so-called “ring of fire” often beset by quakes and strong typhoons.