Eight months after a magnitude 7.2 temblor, the Philippines' Central Visayas has been stricken anew with a major earthquake on Thursday early evening that measured magnitude 6.3.

The quake's epicenter, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs), was located in the middle of the sea, 49 kilometres southwest of the town of Hinoba-an and with a depth of 10 kilometres. Hinoba-an is a town in Negros Occidental, one of the provinces in the central Philippine island of Negros.

It was tectonic in origin.

Phivolcs said the temblors are strong enough to cause damage in affected areas, but added it has yet to receive reports of actual damages.

It warned residents to expect more aftershocks.

Hinoba-an, Negros Occidental felt the tremor at Intensity V.

Iloilo City; Bago City; Pandan, Antique; Basay, Negros Occidental; Sipalay, Negros Occidental; Binalbagan, Negros Occidental; Bayawan City, Negros Oriental felt it at Intensity IV.

Roxas City; Bais City; La Carlota City; Zamboanga City; Lapulapu City; Cebu City; La Castillana, Negros Occidental; Bacolod City; Dumaguete City; Jagna, Bohol; Oton, Iloilo; Tayasan, Negros Oriental.; Jimalalud, Negros Or.; Ayungon, Negros Oriental; Sibulan, Negros Oriental and Dipolog City felt it at Intensity III.

Intensity II was felt in San Jose, Antique; Sibalom, Antique; and Pagadian City, while Masbate City; Kalibo, Aklan; Labason, Zamboanga del Norte; Polanco, Zamboanga del Norte and Manukan, Zamboanga del Norte felt it at Intensity I.

In October 2013, a strong 7.2 magnitude temblor shook the same region of the Philippines, toppling more than 73,000 structures, most of which were old, historic Catholic churches.

The provinces with most devastation were Bohol and Cebu. A total of 222 were reported dead, 8 were missing, and 976 people were injured.