7.8 magnitude earthquake shakes part of southern Philippines, tsunami warning issued

A powerful magnitude 7.8 earthquake has shaken the Mindanao region in the southern Philippines early Monday, the US Geological Survey said.

German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ) reported that the earthquake struck Mindanao at a ​depth of ​10 km (6.2 miles).

The epicentre was 24.7 kilometres (15.3 miles) west-southwest of Burias, Philippines, and had a depth of 35 kilometres (22 miles). It struck at 7:37 a.m.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre said in a notice that tsunami waves were possible "within the next three hours" along the coasts of the Philippines, Indonesia, Palau, Taiwan and Papua New Guinea.

“Move to higher ground now”

The Philippines, one of the world’s most disaster-prone countries, is often hit by earthquakes and volcanic eruptions due to its location on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” an arc of seismic faults around the ocean.

Authorities in the Philippines and Indonesia urged residents in affected coastal regions to move to higher ground immediately.

"As of now, there is one reported death and four injured. This is only an initial report," Master Sergeant Robert Dagon of the General Santos City police told AFP.

"A number of buildings collapsed," he added.

"Many buildings were affected, but I cannot enumerate them now because we are busy with ongoing rescues."

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos suspended school classes in affected areas of Mindanao while calling on residents in coastal areas to evacuate immediately.

"Move to higher ground now. Do not wait," he said. "Your life is more important than anything left behind."

Indonesia's national disaster agency, meanwhile, instructed officials in the North Sulawesi capital, Manado, northern Gorontalo province and the Sangihe islands "to immediately direct their residents to evacuate in an orderly manner to higher ground".

Japanese authorities separately issued a tsunami advisory for swathes of its Pacific coast, projecting waves of up to one metre (three feet) to hit different regions from 11:30 am local time (0230 GMT).

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Source: TRT