Powerful 7.8-Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Southern Philippines, Triggers Tsunami Warnings

A powerful 7.8-magnitude earthquake rocked the southern Philippines early Monday, triggering tsunami warnings and causing structural damage and power outages. The seismic event, centered near General Santos City, generated tsunami waves along nearby shorelines, prompting urgent evacuation orders for coastal communities.

The earthquake hit at 7:37 a.m. local time, with its epicenter located about 13 kilometers southwest of General Santos City at a shallow depth of 10 kilometers, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS). Officials attributed the quake to movement along the Cotabato Trench, marking it as the strongest tremor to hit the country this year.

In General Santos City, a major commercial and tuna-processing hub, a four-story commercial building partially collapsed, forcing an evacuation. Falling debris was reported from several structures across the city. While no immediate casualties were reported, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center warned of potential tsunami waves up to three meters in the Philippines and up to one meter in parts of Indonesia and Malaysia. Philippine monitoring stations recorded waves of about one meter in Sultan Kudarat and Sarangani provinces.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. urged residents in vulnerable coastal areas to move to higher ground and comply with evacuation orders. Disaster-response agencies were placed on standby as damage assessments and aftershock monitoring commenced. Neighboring Malaysia and Indonesia also issued tsunami alerts. The U.S. Geological Survey reported several strong aftershocks, including tremors reaching magnitude 6.5. The Philippines, situated along the Pacific Ring of Fire, is highly susceptible to seismic activity.

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move immediately to higher ground and follow evacuation orders.