Five killed in 7.8 magnitude Philippines earthquake; tsunami waves up to 1.4 metres
Manila, June 8
At least five people have been reported dead after a 7.8-magnitude offshore earthquake that hit the southern Philippines, according to a local disaster official.
Agripino Dacera, the disaster management chief in General Santos City, said authorities are still verifying the extent of the fatalities and damage, reports Xinhua news agency.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said the tectonic earthquake occurred at 7:37 a.m. local time at a depth of 33 km, with the epicentre 32 km southwest of the coast of Maasim town in Sarangani Province on Mindanao Island, close to General Santos, with a population of some 700,000.
The institute said the highest wave recorded reached 1.4 meters. The local media reported that some buildings collapsed and caused power outages. Tremors were felt in neighbouring provinces.
The institute issued a tsunami warning to nine coastal provinces, strongly advising residents in those areas to immediately evacuate to higher ground or move farther inland following the quake.
It is forecast that the first tsunami waves will arrive on Monday morning and continue for hours.
Philippine President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos ordered disaster response and monitoring efforts across affected areas and urged residents to move to higher ground for evacuation.
The quake occurred offshore near Mindanao, the second-largest island in the Philippines, situated in one of the most seismically active areas worldwide, as per local media accounts.
The Philippines experiences frequent seismic activity due to its location along the Pacific "Ring of Fire," a zone of major tectonic plate boundaries known for earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
— IANS
Reader Comments
The tsunami waves reaching 1.4 meters is concerning but thankfully not catastrophic like the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. Still, 5 lives lost is tragic. The Philippines really needs better early warning systems and building codes, just like we improved after Gujarat earthquake. Natural disasters don't discriminate.
My heart goes out to the Filipino people. Having visited Mindanao a few years ago, the communities there are resilient but earthquakes hit differently. The depth was shallow at 33km which amplifies shaking. Hope international aid reaches quickly.
Just yesterday we were praying for cyclone Biparjoy in Gujarat, now this earthquake in Philippines. So many natural disasters happening all at once. 😢 At 7.8 magnitude, the damage could have been much worse. Grateful the death toll is relatively low but still every life matters.
The Ring of Fire shows its teeth again. Living in California I'm used to tremors but a 7.8 is no joke. The fact that tsunami warnings went out to 9 provinces shows how well-prepared their monitoring systems are. Still, the psychological impact on survivors must be immense. Philippines is like our ASEAN brother.
My prayers for all affected. 🙏 Just a thought - why can't countries in earthquake zones share more data and technology? India's National Disaster Management Authority could partner with Philippines for better preparedness. We're all in this together as fellow developing nations facing nature's fury.
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