Deadly Philippine quake raised seabed by up to two metres

A powerful earthquake that struck the southern Philippines this week killed at least 61 people and left 40 missing. The 7.8-magnitude tremor also caused a dramatic geological phenomenon: the seabed rose by up to two meters, exposing coral reefs and seagrass beds.

The "coastal uplift" was first reported by local residents two days after the quake. The phenomenon extended the shoreline by as much as 200 meters in some locations. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology explained that a shift in the Cotabato Trench pushed upward parts of the coastlines in Sarangani and Davao Occidental provinces.

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Approximately 2m was the mapped uplift.

Images released by the environment department show large stretches of exposed coral with dead fish and other marine life. These exposed ecosystems have begun to die off, prompting initial concern among residents about potential fumes from decaying sea life. The department is still assessing the full extent of the affected area.

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These exposed corals and seagrass beds had begun dying off alongside their resident organisms such as reef fishes, eels, clams, and shells.