This US Geological Survey map shows the location of the 7.6 magnitude earthquake which struck off the coast of the Philippines Friday, Aug. 31, 2012.

A magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck off the Philippines coast, causing one fatality. The earthquake knocked out power in some towns, but only triggered a small tsunami.

WASHINGTON (AP) — From Cape Hatteras, N.C., to just north of Boston, sea levels are rising much faster than they are around the globe, putting one of the world's most costly coasts in danger of flooding, government researchers report.

U.S. Geological Survey scientists call the 600-mile swath a "hot spot" for climbing sea levels caused by global warming. Along the region, the Atlantic Ocean is rising at an annual rate three times to four times faster than the global average since 1990, according to the study published Sunday in the journal Nature Climate Change.