Deadly Philippine quake raised seabed by up to 2m

A powerful 7.8 magnitude earthquake that struck the southern Philippine island of Mindanao on June 8 has caused significant geological changes, raising the seabed by as much as two meters. The tremor, which killed at least 61 people and left 40 others missing, has exposed coral reefs and seagrass beds, leading to harm for marine life. Local residents first observed the phenomenon, known as coastal uplift, two days after the quake. In some locations, the shoreline has extended by up to 200 meters. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology stated that a shift in the Cotabato Trench "pushed upward part of the coastlines of Sarangani and Davao Occidental (provinces)... exposing the bottom of the sea that was originally submerged." Images released by the environment department show large areas of exposed coral with dead fish and other aquatic life. The department noted that these exposed marine ecosystems had begun dying off, along with their inhabitants like reef fish, eels, clams, and shells. Officials are still assessing the full extent of the affected area.

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Approximately 2m (metres) was the mapped uplift.