Mindanao Earthquake Tsunami Warning Issued After 7.8 Quake

Philippine – (Web Des) – A strong 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit off the southern Philippine island of Mindanao on Monday, prompting officials to issue a Mindanao earthquake tsunami warning for the Philippines, Indonesia, and the wider Pacific region. One person has died and authorities are still checking for more damage.

Tsunami warnings went out quickly after the quake hit. People living near the coast were told to move to higher ground right away. The US Tsunami Warning System also issued an alert, making it a region-wide emergency.

Radio station DZBB, based in General Santos city about 15 kilometres from the epicentre, reported furniture falling, broken televisions, and damaged appliances. Many residents left their homes immediately after the shaking began.

The General Santos disaster office confirmed that aftershocks are still being felt. Teams are on the ground checking reports of damage and injuries across the affected areas.

In Sarangani province, which is closest to the epicentre, power and phone lines went down. Schools were shut and local disaster chief Rene Punzalan said teams were working to assess the damage. No collapsed buildings have been reported so far.

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said the national government was moving fast to respond. He promised Mindanao would not be left without support during this crisis.

The Philippine agency Phivolcs warned of tsunami waves above one metre that could last for several hours. Indonesia’s BMKG agency reported waves of around 0.19 metres detected along its coastline.

Police chief Benjie Ancheta from Alabel town said the quake was the strongest his community had ever felt. It struck during a flag-raising ceremony and caused cracks in the police building. Some people fainted at the scene.

The earthquake struck at a depth of just 10 kilometres, according to Germany’s geoscience centre. Shallow quakes like this tend to cause stronger shaking at the surface.

In Sarangani’s Maasim town, evacuations of coastal villages are already underway. Local disaster chief Arlene Hollero said water briefly pulled back from the shore after the quake, though seas appeared normal shortly after. A bridge suffered cracks and a large roadside shrine collapsed.

Both the Philippines and Indonesia sit on the Pacific Ring of Fire, a highly active seismic zone that stretches from South America to the Russian Far East. Both countries experience hundreds of earthquakes every year.