China pledges help and support to the Philippines after a magnitude-7.0 earthquake rattled the main island of Luzon on Wednesday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said during a daily press briefing.

Zhao said China is closely following the situation in the aftermath of the earthquake as well as the safety of Chinese personnel and institutions.

The earthquake has so far claimed four lives and injured about 60 others, government officials said.

The earthquake rattled Abra province in northern Philippines at 8:43 a.m. local time (0043 GMT), the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) said.

The institute first reported the magnitude as 7.3 and the epicenter was Lagangilang town. An updated report changed the epicenter to Tayum town, adding the quake hit at a depth of 17 km.

The tremor was felt in many areas on Luzon, including Metro Manila, where high-rise buildings swayed and train operations suspended. It was also felt in many provinces, including Ilocos Sur, Pangasinan, Nueva Vizcaya, Bulacan, Laguna and Cavite.

Dozens of aftershocks were recorded around the area, with the strongest one hitting magnitude 5.4 at 3:38 p.m. local time, PHIVOLCS data showed.