( CNN ) -- A 6.8-magnitude earthquake struck Monday off the third-largest island in the Philippines , prompting the country to issue a tsunami alert for the coastlines near the epicenter . The quake struck about 11:49 a.m. ( 10:49 p.m. Sunday ET ) about 70 kilometers ( 44 miles ) from the coastal city of Dumaguete on the Philippine island of Negros , the USGS said . The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology issued a Level 2 tsunami alert for areas along the Tanon Strait between Negros and the neighboring island of Cebu . That 's a notch below the highest tsunami alert of Level 3 , which requires evacuation of the affected areas , a spokeswoman for the institute said . She said the institute was advising people to watch out for unusual waves and to stay away from the shoreline . The alert was issued at 12:31 p.m. ( 11:31 p.m. Sunday ET ) , the spokeswoman said . No tsunami warning has been issued for the wider Pacific region and there is no tsunami threat to Hawaii , the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said . The earthquake occurred in the ocean at a depth of 46.6 kilometers ( 29 miles ) , according to the USGS . There were no initial reports of widespread damage . At the Circle Inn Hotel in the city of Bacolod , which is on Negros but not on the coast nearest the quake 's epicenter , a receptionist said the quake lasted between three and five minutes . `` We felt the shaking , '' the receptionist said . `` The guests all exited the building . But all the people here are okay . '' There was no damage to the hotel , the receptionist said .
NEW : The Philippines issues a tsunami alert for the coastlines near the quake . No tsunami warning for the wider region , Pacific says . The earthquake occurs 70 kilometers ( 70 kilometers ) from the coastal city of USGS , the Dumaguete says . Guests at a hotel in Philippines evacuate during the earthquake , a receptionist says .