MANILA, Philippines – A powerful earthquake measuring magnitude 7.8 struck the southern Philippines on Monday morning, prompting tsunami warnings across parts of Southeast Asia and causing damage in a major coastal city, according to Philippine and international monitoring agencies.
The earthquake hit near General Santos City on the island of Mindanao at 7:37 a.m. local time, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) reported. The agency said the epicenter was located approximately 13 kilometers southwest of the city at a depth of 10 kilometers.
Authorities immediately urged residents living in coastal areas to move to higher ground following tsunami warnings issued after the quake. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) warned that waves reaching up to 3 meters could affect some Philippine coastlines, while smaller tsunami waves were considered possible along parts of Indonesia and Malaysia.
“We advise people to evacuate to higher grounds or go further inland,” PHIVOLCS Director Teresito Bacolcol said as emergency officials monitored coastal conditions.
General Santos City, a major commercial center in Mindanao with a population of more than 700,000, experienced shaking strong enough to damage buildings and disrupt power supplies. Local media reports indicated that part of a four-story commercial building housing a provincial radio station office collapsed during the earthquake.
Staff members reportedly evacuated the building without injury, though authorities had not immediately confirmed whether anyone else remained trapped inside the damaged structure. The earthquake struck before normal business hours, limiting the number of people likely to have been inside office buildings.
Tsunami Concerns Spread Across the Region
The tsunami warning extended beyond the Philippines, with monitoring agencies cautioning that coastal areas in neighboring countries could experience elevated sea levels and strong currents.
The PTWC said waves of up to 1 meter were possible in parts of Indonesia and Malaysia. Smaller sea-level fluctuations were also considered possible in Taiwan, Japan, Guam, Papua New Guinea, and several Pacific island nations and territories.
Indonesian authorities reported that tsunami waves reaching as high as 18 centimeters were recorded along sections of North Sulawesi and North Maluku provinces. Residents in parts of north-central Indonesia also reported feeling the earthquake.
Officials continued monitoring coastal conditions throughout the region as precautionary measures remained in effect.
Aftershocks Follow Major Tremor
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) reported multiple aftershocks following the initial earthquake, including tremors reaching magnitude 6.5.
USGS measurements differed from those reported by Philippine authorities, placing the earthquake at a depth of approximately 55 kilometers. Such differences are common in the immediate aftermath of major seismic events as agencies analyze incoming data.
No immediate fatalities were reported, and authorities continued assessing the extent of damage in affected communities.
Philippines Faces Persistent Seismic Risks
The Philippines regularly experiences powerful earthquakes and volcanic activity because of its location along the Pacific Ring of Fire, a vast zone of seismic activity surrounding much of the Pacific Ocean.
In addition to earthquakes, the country faces frequent tropical storms and typhoons each year, making it one of the world’s most disaster-prone nations. Government agencies routinely conduct preparedness campaigns aimed at reducing risks from earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and severe weather events.
Emergency officials said damage assessments and coastal monitoring operations would continue as aftershocks remained possible.
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