At least 16 people have died, and 129 others have been injured after a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck off the southern coast of the Philippines earlier today, June 9, collapsing buildings and triggering tsunami warnings across the region.
The Philippines earthquake hit Mindanao at 7.37am local time, with its epicentre located approximately 13 kilometres south-west of General Santos City in Sarangani province, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs).
The US Geological Survey recorded the depth at 34 miles, while Phivolcs placed it at 10 kilometres.
The Office of Civil Defence confirmed the initial death toll, with 12 of the fatalities recorded in the Soccsksargen region of Mindanao and three in Davao Occidental province. Casualties were reported mostly from falling debris, with rescue teams still working to verify further reports from affected areas.
Robert Dagon, of the General Santos City police, told Agence France-Presse that multiple buildings had been affected.
“Many buildings were affected, but I cannot enumerate them now because we are busy with ongoing rescues.”
General Santos City, which has a population of around 720,000, saw the most visible structural damage. Images from local officials showed the facades of commercial buildings giving way, a convenience store entrance destroyed, and smashed glass and overturned furniture across surrounding streets.
Schools struck on first day of term
The earthquake struck as public schools across the Philippines reopened for a new academic year, with the timing adding to the disruption. Video from Mahayhay Elementary School in Davao showed pupils scrambling for safety during a morning flag ceremony, while footage from a high school in Davao del Sur showed part of the campus roof had collapsed as students gathered outside.
No injuries were reported at either school.
Benjie Ancheta, police chief of Alabel town in Sarangani, told Reuters the quake hit during a police flag-raising ceremony, causing some officers to faint.
The Philippines Red Cross attended three high schools to support students affected by the event. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr subsequently ordered the suspension of classes in affected areas until further notice.
Government response
Marcos ordered an immediate disaster response across Mindanao, directing all relevant government agencies to prepare relief supplies, open evacuation centres, and stand ready for rescue operations. He urged residents in coastal areas to move to higher ground without delay.
“The national government is moving, and we will not leave Mindanao behind,
“To our countrymen in the affected provinces, please heed the tsunami warning. Move to higher ground now. Do not wait. Your life is more important than anything left behind.”
The Philippine military confirmed its disaster response units had been deployed to affected areas. The Office of Civil Defence warned residents to avoid entering damaged buildings due to the risk of aftershocks. General Santos Airport was closed until further notice.
Tsunami warnings issued and lifted
The quake triggered tsunami warnings across the Philippines, Indonesia, Japan, and parts of Malaysia. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre initially warned that waves of up to three metres were possible on some Philippine coasts, and waves of up to one metre on parts of Indonesia and Malaysia.
A tsunami with wave heights of up to 0.75 metres was detected in parts of North Sulawesi, Indonesia, prompting residents of the Sangihe Islands to move to higher ground. Witnesses in Manado said the tremors were felt strongly, though only minor damage was reported.
Japan’s meteorological agency recorded a tsunami of 0.2 metres or lower, with some ferry disruptions and precautionary beach closures. Australia issued an initial warning for its northern coasts before standing it down.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre said the threat had largely passed approximately five hours after the quake, though it urged people to remain alert as sea levels could continue to fluctuate.
The Philippines sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire, an arc of seismic fault lines stretching from South America to the Russian Far East. The country experiences earthquakes on a near-daily basis and is also struck by around 20 typhoons and tropical storms each year.
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