Eight Killed in Philippines Earthquake; Tsunami Warnings Issued

At least eight people have died following a powerful 7.8 magnitude earthquake that struck the southern Philippines on Monday morning. The country's national disaster agency confirmed the fatalities, with victims identified in Davao Occidental province, General Santos City, and South Cotabato province.

Office of Civil Defence spokesman Diego Mariano reported that three deaths occurred in Davao Occidental, three in General Santos City, and two in South Cotabato. Additionally, Police Major Roland Catoburan stated that two other individuals were killed by a collapsing wall in Alabel, a municipality near General Santos.

Tsunami warnings were issued across the Philippines and neighboring Indonesia, as well as by the US Tsunami Warning System. Residents in coastal areas were urged to evacuate to higher ground due to the potential for dangerous waves. DZBB radio in General Santos reported falling furniture and damaged televisions as aftershocks continued and people sought safety outside their homes.

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The national government is moving and we will not leave Mindanao behind.

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. assured that the national government is coordinating a swift disaster response. "The national government is moving and we will not leave Mindanao behind," he said in a statement. The Philippines and Indonesia are located on the "Pacific Ring of Fire," a region known for its high seismic activity, experiencing hundreds of earthquakes annually.

Phivolcs, the Philippine seismological agency, warned of tsunami waves potentially exceeding one meter and lasting for several hours. Indonesia's geophysics agency, BMKG, reported detecting waves of up to 20 centimeters. The German Research Centre for Geosciences initially reported the quake's magnitude as 8.2, later revising it to 7.8, while other agencies reported magnitudes of 7.0 and 7.7. Benjie Ancheta, police chief of Alabel town, described it as the strongest earthquake experienced in the area, noting cracks in the police building after the quake occurred during a flag-raising ceremony.

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This is the strongest earthquake we've experienced.