A powerful earthquake struck off the southern Philippine island of Mindanao on Monday (8 June), killing at least 32 people and triggering tsunami warnings across the region.
Philippine police said 129 people were injured in the magnitude 7.8 quake, which struck offshore near Mindanao.
Authorities also reported power outages, infrastructure damage and disruptions to communications in areas close to the epicentre.
Tsunami alerts were issued in the Philippines and parts of neighbouring Indonesia, with coastal communities urged to move to higher ground as a precaution.
However, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) later lifted its tsunami alert, saying that observed sea level disturbances were too small to cause damage.
In General Santos, about 15 kilometres from the epicentre, local media reported falling furniture and damage to televisions and other household appliances. Local disaster officials said assessments of damage and any casualties were continuing.
The General Santos disaster office said officials were assessing reports of damage and injuries while aftershocks were still being felt.
In Sarangani province, near the epicentre, power and telecommunications services were disrupted and schools suspended classes, according to local disaster chief Rene Punzalan.
Authorities said assessments were continuing, with no immediate reports of collapsed buildings.
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said the government was moving quickly to coordinate its response.
"The national government is moving and we will not leave Mindanao behind," Marcos said in a statement.
In Maasim town, disaster chief Arlene Hollero said evacuations were underway in coastal villages.
Water briefly receded after the quake, raising concerns about possible tsunami activity, although sea conditions later appeared normal, she said.
A bridge suffered cracks and a shrine topped by a large cross collapsed.
"It's devastating," Hollero told Reuters.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) warned that tsunami waves exceeding one metre could affect coastal areas for several hours.
Indonesia's geophysics agency said waves measuring around 0.19 metres had been detected, while authorities there reported no immediate damage.
Witnesses in Indonesia's northern city of Manado and residents across southern Philippines said the earthquake was felt strongly.
Benjie Ancheta, police chief in the town of Alabel, said the local police station suffered cracks during the quake, which struck while officers were attending a flag-raising ceremony.
"This is the strongest earthquake we've experienced," Ancheta said.
The German Research Centre for Geosciences said the earthquake struck at a depth of 10 kilometres. It initially estimated the quake at magnitude 8.2 before revising it to 7.8.
The Philippines and Indonesia sit along the Pacific Ring of Fire, one of the world's most active seismic zones, where earthquakes and volcanic activity are common.
Indian police detained more than 2,000 protesters in Delhi on Saturday as authorities blocked a planned demonstration calling for the resignation o...
A powerful explosion has been reported at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, raising fresh concerns over aviation security in Saudi Arabi...
At least 12 people, including three children, have been killed in a Russian attack on the Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia, a day after U.S. Presiden...
Leaders of countries from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) have agreed to hold coordinated population censuses around 2030. They took the decision at the CIS Council of Heads of State meeting in Awaza, Turkmenistan on Friday, media reported.
A powerful explosion has been reported at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, raising fresh concerns over aviation security in Saudi Arabia as tensions across the region continue to escalate.
Britain and Israel have reached a temporary compromise over the future of the British Consulate General in East Jerusalem, easing a diplomatic dispute that had threatened to further strain relations between the two countries.
South African judge Navanethem “Navi” Pillay won the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday “for her efforts to promote peace and international law,” the Norwegian Nobel Committee said.
The U.S. has imposed sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC) on Friday (9 October) escalating tensions with European allies and potentially targeting companies that provide services to the tribunal. The move came hours after former ICC judge Navi Pillay won the Nobel Peace Prize.
Indian police detained more than 2,000 protesters in Delhi on Saturday as authorities blocked a planned demonstration calling for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over disputed changes to voter lists.
At least 12 people, including three children, have been killed in a Russian attack on the Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia, a day after U.S. President Donald Trump announced a deal to ease sanctions on Russian diesel.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has criticised U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to ease sanctions on Russian diesel exports, questioning why Moscow was granted an economic benefit without an apparent concession towards ending the war in Ukraine.
Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed surprise after Donald Trump mediated the Armenia-Azerbaijan peace agreement in 2025, the U.S. President said at a rally in New York state on Friday.
The United Nations has condemned a sharp rise in attacks on civilians in Ukraine, reporting that more than 100 people were killed and at least 429 injured in a single week as Russian strikes hit residential areas, passenger buses and critical infrastructure.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment