Powerful 7.6-Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Southern Philippines
A strong 7.6-magnitude earthquake shook the southern Philippines near Mindanao on Friday, initially prompting a tsunami alert that was later canceled.
Officials from the country’s seismology agency initially warned of potential hazardous waves along coasts within 300 kilometers (186 miles) of the epicenter. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center later confirmed the threat had subsided.
The earthquake's impact was visible in footage circulating online, showing people dropping to the ground, bracing themselves as the tremors intensified. Motorcycles toppled over from the force of the shaking.
In Tagum City, voices were heard praying as debris fell from buildings. At the Southern Philippines Medical Center, dozens of patients evacuated the facility. The governor of Davao Oriental reported widespread panic during the quake.
“Some structures suffered damage,” Edwin Jubahib told a local radio station. “The tremors were intense.”
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. stated that officials were evaluating the situation and preparing search and rescue operations.
“We are working nonstop to assist those affected,” Marcos said.
The quake’s epicenter was located in waters off the town of Manay in Mindanao, at a depth of 10 kilometers.
Christine Sierte, a teacher in nearby Compostela, described the shaking as initially slow before escalating in strength.
“At first it was mild, then it grew violent. We couldn’t move right away—it was too intense,” she said.
While no injuries were reported at her school, several students experienced panic and breathing difficulties due to the quake.
Kath Cortez, a journalist in Davao City, noted minor cracks in her family’s home after the quake.
“The force took us by surprise,” she said, adding that her relatives fled their house.
The tremor occurred just ten days after a fatal 6.9-magnitude quake struck Bogo City in Cebu province, claiming 71 lives. Aftershocks continue to be felt in the region.
Indonesia’s geophysics agency also issued a tsunami alert for parts of North Sulawesi and Papua, though it was later withdrawn.
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