(CNN) — A strong earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.9 struck the central Philippines around 10 p.m. local time, according to the US Geological Survey, raising fears about damage and the possibility of a localized tsunami.

A quake of this strength in the region could cause casualties and considerable damage to poorly built structures, early survey models suggest.

The earthquake occurred only 10 kilometers (6 miles) underwater, just west of Palompon in the Philippines and close to the city of Bogo in Cebu province.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) issued an orange-level tsunami alert in the Leyte, Biliran, and Cebu provinces, advising people to keep away from the coastlines and urging those living by the coast to evacuate inland.

Authorities in

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