The quake struck beneath the Pacific Ocean at 10:11 p.m. local time about 115 miles (180 km) northeast of Calbayog, on the island of Samar.
Edna Meregildo, a social worker who lives in Catarman, told the Associated Press she was washing the dishes when the ground shook and the power went out.
"It was quite strong. I exclaimed, 'God, please stop this,"' Meregildo said.
A series of aftershocks that followed the powerful earthquake and accompanying heavy rains increased the risk of landslides, prompting Philippines officials to close schools as a precautionary measure.
According to Jukes Nunez, a provincial disaster response official, some 126 villages in Albay province alone were considered highly vulnerable to landslides.
