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a powerful Earthquake hit the southern philippines On Friday morning, at least two people were killed, schools and an international airport were damaged and thousands were forced to flee coastal cities amid tsunami warnings.
About 43 km east of May
The agency warned of possible aftershocks of up to 6.4 magnitude and urged residents to stay away from the coastline.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said emergency teams were ready and would be deployed when the situation was safe.
“We are working round the clock to ensure that help reaches every needy,” he said.
At least two people died after being buried inside damaged homes in Davao Oriental, provincial Governor Nelson Dayanghirang Sr. told ABS-CBN news channel.
About 250 patients were evacuated from the hospital with broken walls and temporary tents are being set up to house them.
The earthquake damaged several buildings, including parts of schools and the facade of a church, and caused cracks in roads and bridges in Manay and neighboring towns.
The office of Civil Defense Deputy Administrator Bernardo Rafaelito Alejandro IV said the international airport in Davao City suffered damage but was operational.
The earthquake also caused chemical spillage on the sixth floor of San Pedro College in Davao City, which was brought under control by firefighters.
In the nearby coastal city of Governorate of Generoso, disaster official Jun Saavedra said power lines were downed and parts of buildings cracked as people poured into the streets.
“We have had earthquakes here before, but this was the most intense one,” he said. He said about 50 students were treated for injuries and dizziness after getting scared during the tremors.
Video verified by Reuters showed vehicles shaking, gates rattling and walls creaking as office workers took shelter under desks in Davao City, the country’s largest urban center in the south with 5.4 million residents.
A tsunami warning was issued for coastal areas within 300 kilometers of the epicenter, triggering evacuations in at least six provinces before being lifted two hours later.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Honolulu said small waves were recorded in the Philippines. Indonesia Before the danger passes.
Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency reported small waves of up to 17 centimeters in the Talaud Islands off North Sulawesi, while residents of Palau’s coast were also advised to remain vigilant.
Phivolcs initially reported the intensity as 7.6 and then revised it down to 7.4. The earthquake was caused by movement along the Philippine Trench, one of the world’s most active fault systems.
The Philippines, located on the seismically active Pacific “Ring of Fire”, is hit by hundreds of earthquakes each year. The archipelago is also affected by about 20 tropical storms annually, posing a major challenge for disaster response authorities.
Friday’s shock came less than two weeks after 6.9 magnitude earthquake At least 74 people were killed and thousands displaced in the province of Cebu, making it the country’s deadliest state in more than a decade.
Phivolcs head Teresito Bacolacol said the agency was monitoring further developments and urged caution as the aftershocks could continue for several days.
“Residents should remain vigilant and avoid returning to damaged structures until they are declared safe,” he said.