TAGUM, Philippines: A strong earthquake shook parts of the southern Philippines on Sunday, briefly panicking residents, the government volcanology office said.

The 6.0-magnitude quake rocked the southern island of Mindanao but there were no initial reports of damage or casualties, the civil defence office said.

The US Geological Survey put the magnitude at 5.9.

While some areas of Mindanao experienced just slight tremors, those closer to the epicentre about 850 kilometres (528 miles) south of Manila reported more serious shaking with people fleeing outdoors for fear their houses might collapse.

"I was inside my room when the shaking started, which lasted for almost a minute. I felt dizzy so I rushed outside," said radio broadcaster Richard Grande in the town of San Francisco near the epicentre.

The Philippines lies on the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, where tectonic plates collide.