A powerful 7.6-magnitude earthquake struck the Philippines on Friday, prompting tsunami warnings and evacuation advisories for coastal communities.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) reported that the quake occurred offshore near Manay town in Davao Oriental, Mindanao, at a depth of 10 km.
Phivolcs warned of possible aftershocks and damage, urging residents in central and southern coastal areas to move to higher ground or further inland. No immediate reports of casualties or major damage have emerged.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Hawaii cautioned that dangerous waves could affect areas within 186 miles of the epicenter, with waves up to 3 meters possible along parts of the Philippine coast. Smaller waves were expected in nearby Indonesia and Palau.
Edwin Jubahib, governor of Davao Oriental, said people panicked during the tremors. “Some buildings were reported to have been damaged. It was very strong,” he told local media.
Social media footage captured widespread panic, including patients and staff evacuating Tagum City Davao Hospital, and water in containers shaking violently at a fish-rearing facility.
As a precaution, Indonesia issued tsunami warnings for northern Sulawesi and Papua, predicting waves up to 50 cm along the coast.
This quake comes just two weeks after a deadly magnitude 6.9 offshore earthquake in Cebu, which claimed 72 lives—the deadliest in the Philippines in over a decade.
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