Four People Dead After Strong Earthquake Strikes Northern Philippines   
US Geological Survey says 7 magnitude quake located in remote mountainous province of Abra; tremors felt several hundred kilometers away in Manila 
At least four people were killed Wednesday after a strong earthquake struck the northern Philippines. The U.S. Geological Survey says the province of Abra on the main island of Luzon was the epicenter of a 7 magnitude quake, which struck at a shallow depth of 10 kilometers. Philippine authorities say at least 44 people were injured in the disaster. Authorities say dozens of buildings collapsed or were severely damaged across Abra province. Photos posted on her by Abra vice governor Joy Bernos show residents and staff standing outside a hospital that was left with a gaping hole in the front of the building. Shockwaves from the quake were felt as far away as the capital, Manila, located about 300 kilometers south of the epicenter. President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. told reporters at a news conference that the quake “was very strong” and caused the chandeliers in his office to sway. President Marcos said he will fly to Abras province Thursday to inspect the damage. The Southeast Asian archipelago lies in the seismically active Pacific “Ring of Fire” region, a band of volcanoes and seismic fault lines that circles a large area of the Pacific Ocean. The Philippines is also battered annually by about 20 storms and typhoons, making it one of the world’s most disaster-prone countries.