MANILA - An offshore earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.6 jolted the eastern Philippines on Tuesday evening, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said, and no damage or casualties were reported yet.

The institute said the quake, which occurred at 8:54 pm local time (1254 GMT), hit at a depth of 9 km, about 120 km southeast of Gigmoto town in Catanduanes province.

The institute said the tectonic quake will trigger aftershocks and cause damage. The temblor was also felt in many areas on Samar Island and Bicol region on Luzon Island.

The Philippines has frequent seismic activities due to its location along the Pacific "Ring of Fire".