Massive 7.6 Magnitude Earthquake Hits Southern Philippines, Tsunami Warning
MANILA, Philippines — A massive 7.6 magnitude earthquake struck late on Saturday night off the coast of the southern Philippine island of Mindanao, triggering a tsunami warning from Philippine authorities.
The earthquake hit at 10:37 p.m. at a depth of 32 kilometers (20 miles), as indicated by the U.S. Geological Survey. Current reports have not revealed any immediate damage or casualties.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center stated that, based on the magnitude and location of the earthquake, it anticipated tsunami waves reaching the southern Philippines, as well as parts of Indonesia, Palau, and Malaysia.
Teresito Bacolcol, the director of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, urged residents along the coast of southern Surigao del Sur and Davao Oriental provinces to evacuate immediately to higher ground or move further inland.
The quake agency advised the owners of boats in harbors, estuaries, or shallow coastal waters off the affected provinces to secure their boats and move away from the waterfront. Boats already at sea should remain offshore in deep waters until further instructions are given.
Bacolcol noted that based on the earthquake’s magnitude, a 1-meter (3.2-foot) tsunami could occur, but the wave might be even higher in enclosed coves, bays, and straits.
The Philippines, situated on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” experiences frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. The archipelago is also regularly hit by around 20 typhoons and storms each year.
