At least eight people were killed, while 12 others were injured after two earthquakes jolted the archipelago of Batanes north of Philippines' main Luzon island Saturday, a local official said. According to the local authorities, earthquake measuring 5.4 on the Richter Scale struck before dawn.
A historic church and other houses were also damaged due to the tremors.
The first quake, which struck at 4:16 a.m. local time, hit at a depth of 12 km, about 12 km northeast of Itbayat town.
The second quake of 6.4 magnitude struck at 7:38 a.m. local time.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said the second quake hit at a depth of 43 km about 19 km northwest of Itbayat. Both quakes were tectonic in origin.
Phivolcs director Renato Solidum told a local radio station that a quake of such intensity could cause slight damage to houses and infrastructure.
According to the institute, the tremors were also felt in the towns of Basco and Sabtang.
Aftershocks are expected, the institute said.
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