A tricycle is seen under a collapsed building in Pampanga Province, the Philippines, April 23, 2019. The death toll from the 6.1-magnitude earthquake that struck the Philippines' main Luzon Island rose to nine, local officials said on Tuesday. (Xinhua/Rouelle Umali)

A powerful earthquake hit the southern Philippine island of Mindanao on Sunday, killing a child and damaging buildings in an area still recovering from a string of deadly quakes in ­October.

Police said a rescue operation had been launched at a heavily damaged market building near the 6.8-magnitude quake's epicenter, which is about 90 kilometers from the major city of Davao.

Patients were evacuated from hospitals as a precaution and nervous crowds massed outside shopping malls after the powerful jolt and a series of smaller, but strong aftershocks.

"We can no longer use our office because the walls cracked and the stairs collapsed," local police spokeswoman Lea Orbuda told AFP. 

"The power is off and the water taps are dry."

She added that at least 24 people had been taken to the hospital, adding search operations continued. Another 13 were reported hurt in a neighboring area, police said. 

Police said a child died when a structure collapsed.

President Rodrigo Duterte, who is from Davao, was caught up in the earthquake but was unharmed, officials said.

"The First Lady... said the car she was riding [in] was swaying," spokesman Salvador ­Panelo said. "They are unhurt."

There was no threat of a tsunami, said the US Geological Survey, which initially reported the magnitude at 6.9.