Powerful 7.5 Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Philippines: Tsunami Warnings Issued Across Multiple Countries

A powerful earthquake measuring 7.5 in magnitude struck offshore in the southern Philippines region Friday morning, prompting tsunami warnings across several countries according to the country's seismology agency.

Phivolcs, the Philippines' seismological authority, warned residents about potential damage and aftershocks following the strong tremor that occurred in waters near Manay town in Davao Oriental, Mindanao. The agency revised its initial magnitude reading from 7.6 to 7.5 and determined the quake's depth at 20 km (12 miles).

The US Tsunami Warning System issued alerts indicating hazardous waves could potentially affect coastal areas within 300 km (186 miles) of the earthquake's epicenter.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr announced that authorities were evaluating the situation and search-and-rescue teams would be deployed when safe conditions permitted. "We are working round the clock to ensure that help reaches everyone who needs it," Marcos stated.

Phivolcs urged residents in coastal communities throughout the central and southern Philippines to evacuate immediately to higher ground or move further inland, warning that wave heights exceeding one meter above normal tides could be expected.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center predicted waves between 1 to 3 meters above tide level were possible in affected Philippine regions.

This earthquake occurred just two weeks after the Philippines experienced its deadliest seismic event in over a decade, when a 6.9 magnitude offshore quake claimed 72 lives on Cebu island.

The Philippines' location on the Pacific "Ring of Fire" means the country typically experiences more than 800 earthquakes annually.

Tsunami warnings were also issued for Indonesia's northern Sulawesi and Papua regions, with the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center indicating some coastal areas in Indonesia and Palau could experience waves reaching up to 1 meter in height.

Davao Oriental's governor, Edwin Jubahib, reported to Philippine broadcaster DZMM that people panicked during the earthquake. "Some buildings were reported to have been damaged," he stated. "It was very strong."

The European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre offered slightly different measurements, assessing the quake at 7.4 magnitude with a depth of 58 km (36 miles).