A powerful 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck waters off the southern Philippines on Monday morning, prompting tsunami warnings in parts of the Philippines and neighbouring Indonesia.
According to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, the tectonic earthquake occurred at 7:37 a.m. local time at a depth of 33 kilometres. The epicentre was located approximately 32 kilometres southwest of Maasim town in Sarangani Province on Mindanao Island.
Following the earthquake, authorities issued tsunami warnings for nine coastal provinces and urged residents living in affected areas to immediately move to higher ground or relocate further inland as a precautionary measure.
Officials warned that the first tsunami waves could reach coastal areas later in the morning and that wave activity could continue for several hours.
Initial local reports indicated that the earthquake caused damage to some buildings and led to power outages in certain areas. Strong tremors were also felt across neighbouring provinces surrounding the epicentral region.
Despite the strength of the quake, there were no immediate reports of major damage or fatalities in either the Philippines or Indonesia. However, authorities said communities closest to the epicentre experienced significant shaking.
The earthquake occurred offshore near Mindanao, the Philippines’ second-largest island. The region is part of a highly active seismic zone and regularly experiences earthquakes due to the movement of tectonic plates.
The Philippines lies along the Pacific Ring of Fire, a vast belt of seismic and volcanic activity that stretches around the Pacific Ocean and is responsible for frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
In Indonesia, the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency issued an early tsunami warning for coastal areas in the country’s northeast following the earthquake. Authorities continued monitoring sea conditions and urged residents in vulnerable coastal communities to follow official advisories.
Emergency agencies in both countries were assessing the situation as monitoring efforts continued throughout the day.
Leave a Reply