This is the dramatic moment terrified residents fled as twin earthquakes shook a town in southern Philippines today.

Footage shows locals evacuating buildings as two magnitude 5.5 tremors struck within five minutes of each other, in Sultan Kudarat province, on January 28.

Residents screamed as they ran onto the street before the second quake shook power lines and antenna cables, and triggered car alarms.

State seismological agency PHIVOLCS said the earthquakes struck some 43 to 46 kilometres (26 to 28 miles) off the coast of Kalamansig town in Sultan Kudarat, at 4:34pm and 4:38pm local time. The earthquake was tectonic in origin, and had a depth of 10 kilometres (6.2 miles).

The agency said no damage was expected but aftershocks may occur.

The earthquake struck less than two hours after a 5.9 magnitude earthquake rattled the same town at 2:46pm. A magnitude 5.1 quake struck just 15 minutes before that.

Local authorities preemptively evacuated residents in coastal areas despite no tsunami warning being raised.

PHIVOLCS said quakes were part of an ongoing 'earthquake swarm' caused by movements along the Cotabato Trench.

PHIVOLCS director Dr Teresito Bacolcol said: 'It may or may not lead to a larger event. Earthquake swarms do not automatically mean that a stronger earthquake will follow.'

The Philippines is an archipelago of more than 7,000 islands inside the Pacific 'Ring of Fire' where the majority of Earth's volcano eruptions and earthquakes happen.