Major Earthquake Strikes Off Southern Philippines
A powerful 7.4 magnitude earthquake hit off the southern Philippines’ coast on Friday morning, resulting in at least two fatalities. The quake caused considerable damage to hospitals and schools, disrupted power supply, and triggered a tsunami warning that led to evacuations in nearby coastal areas—though this warning was later lifted.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is currently evaluating the damage and coordinating rescue and relief efforts, especially after the region has already faced previous natural disasters, including an earthquake and a series of storms.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology noted that damage and aftershocks are likely. This earthquake was attributed to the movement of the Philippine Trench, with its epicenter roughly 44 miles east of Manay, situated about 24 miles deep underwater.
According to Governor Nelson Dayanghiran Sr., at least two individuals died after being trapped in a collapsed house in Oriental Davao. Around 250 patients were evacuated from a damaged hospital and are currently being housed in temporary shelters.
Cracks were reported in the walls of several structures, including Davao City’s international airport; however, flights have continued without cancellations, as stated by Civil Defense Deputy Secretary Bernardo Rafaelito Alejandro IV.
Jun Saavedra, a disaster prevention officer in Generoso, recounted a chaotic scene: “We were driving and suddenly the car began to shake violently. Power lines were swaying, and people rushed out of their homes as the ground quaked.” He mentioned that while there have been past earthquakes, this was by far the strongest, leaving cracks in buildings and leading to about 50 high school students being treated for injuries.
In response to the situation, Governor Generoso, whose town is about 100 miles south of Manay, has canceled classes at all levels.
As for evacuations in Davao City, which is the largest nearby city with a population of approximately 5.4 million, many children were moved from schools to ensure their safety.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Honolulu reported that small waves were initially detected off the coasts of the Philippines and Indonesia, but the threat diminished about two hours post-quake.
Teresito Bacolcol, the chief seismologist, confirmed that the tsunami evacuation warning for six coastal provinces near Davao was lifted after no significant waves were found. In addition, Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysical Agency noted that small tsunamis measuring between 1.3 to 6.7 inches were observed in certain locations of North Sulawesi province.
This earthquake comes as the Philippines is still dealing with the aftermath of a 6.9 magnitude quake that hit on September 30, claiming at least 74 lives and leading to thousands being evacuated in central Cebu province.
The archipelago typically faces about 20 typhoons or storms each year, making disaster response a critical ongoing effort for both the government and volunteer organizations.
On the same day, a 6.0 magnitude earthquake was detected off the coast of Papua New Guinea, centered in the Bismarck Sea, approximately 457 miles northeast of Lae, the nation’s second-largest city. Fortunately, no damage was reported, according to local police.
