MANILA, March 8 (Xinhua) -- An earthquake of 6.4 magnitude struck off Surigao del Norte province in the southern Philippines on Friday, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said.

The institute said the quake, which struck at 11:06 p.m., hit at a depth of 16 kilometers, about 41 km northeast of Burgos town in Surigao del Norte.

The institute said the tremor, which was tectonic in origin, could cause damage and that aftershocks are expected.