Major Quake Shakes Manila

An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.6 shook Manila on Friday night, sending high rises swaying, knocking out power to some areas and sending frightened residents into the streets. There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage.

The violent shaking from side to side began at 10:35 p.m. and appeared to last well over a minute. It was felt in provinces north of Manila on the main Philippine island of Luzon.

The U.S. Geological Survey in Boulder, Colorado, said on its Web site that the preliminary magnitude was 6.6 with an epicenter 55 miles south-southwest of Manila at a depth of 24.9 miles.

The Philippines is along the so-called Pacific "Ring of Fire," where earthquakes and volcanic activity are common. A 6.2 magnitude island shook the Manila and surrounding areas of Luzon three weeks ago.

A magnitude 7.7 earthquake in 1990 killed nearly 2,000 people on Luzon.