Davao, Oct. 17 -- An earthquake hit the southern Philippines late Wednesday, killing a girl, and injuring more than two dozen people in collapsed houses, and sending thousands of panicked people scrambling out of homes, shopping malls and a hospital, officials and news reports said.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the magnitude 6.4 quake was centered about 8 kilometers (5 miles) from Columbio, a landlocked town in the coastal province of Sultan Kudarat. The earthquake had a depth of only 14 kilometers (9 miles). Shallow quakes tend to cause more damage than deeper ones.

Some areas lost power due to the quake, delaying assessment of possible damage. A fire broke out in a shopping mall in General Santos city shortly after the quake, but o...