A 5.9-magnitude earthquake struck Mindanao in the Philippines on Tuesday, according to data from Germany’s GFZ geosciences research centre.
The shallow quake, recorded at a depth of 10 km, was traced to an epicentre at 6.31°N and 126.29°E. The latest tremor comes just weeks after the southern Philippines was hit by two powerful offshore earthquakes that triggered tsunami alerts and widespread coastal evacuations.
On October 10, a magnitude 7.4 quake off Manay in Davao Oriental prompted tsunami warnings for areas within a 300 km radius. Although the alerts were later lifted, a second quake measuring 6.8 struck the same region seven hours later, prompting renewed advisories. Authorities had warned that waves more than one metre above normal tide levels were possible, urging residents to move inland or seek higher ground.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) classified the two tremors as a “doublet”—separate but related earthquakes occurring along a major fault zone off the eastern coast. The quakes caused damage to homes, buildings, and bridges, and left at least seven people dead, according to civil defence officials.
The Philippines sits along the seismically active Pacific “Ring of Fire” and experiences more than 800 earthquakes each year. The latest jolt adds to growing concerns over heightened seismic activity in the region.
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