Tsunami threat reduced in Philippines and Indonesia after 7.6 magnitude earthquake: Live updates

“I was driving my car when it suddenly shook and I saw power lines shaking violently. People came out of homes and buildings because of the ground shaking and power outages,” Jun Saavedra, a disaster-mitigation official in the city of Generoso, Davao Oriental, told The Associated Press by cellphone.

“We have had earthquakes before, but this was the most intense one,” Mr. Saavedra said. He said that due to excessive ground shaking, cracks appeared in many buildings including schools.

He said at least 50 students from a high school in his city were brought to hospital by ambulance after they fainted or felt dizzy due to the earthquake.

The earthquake occurred about 62 km away from Manay city in the Mindanao region, at a shallow depth of about 10 km. There were no immediate reports of damage, but Philippine officials warned residents of waves above normal tides in the next two hours.

Several aftershocks have occurred in the same area in the last half-hour – so far of 5.9 magnitude and 5.6 magnitude.

According to the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, the tsunami threat from the earthquake in the Philippines has passed.

The governor of Davao Oriental in the Philippines said people panicked when the earthquake struck.

“Some buildings have been reported damaged,” Edwin Jubahib told Philippine broadcaster DZMM. “It was very strong.”

Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. says potential earthquake damage is being assessed and rescue teams and relief operations are being prepared and will be deployed when it is safe to do so.

“We are now assessing the situation on the ground and ensuring that everyone is safe. … Search, rescue and relief operations are already being prepared and will be deployed as soon as it is safe,” he said in a statement.

Classes in all public and private schools in Davao City were suspended this morning after an earthquake struck the area.

“In view of the recent earthquake and to assess the rapid damage to infrastructure and facilities, classes in educational institutions at all levels, public and private, in Davao City are immediately suspended,” the local government said in an advisory.

The office of Civil Defense Deputy Administrator Bernardo Rafaelito Alejandro IV warned that tsunami waves could hit Davao Oriental and six nearby coastal provinces up to two hours after the 9:43 a.m. earthquake.

He asked people to immediately move away from coastal areas to higher ground or inland.

“We urge these coastal communities to remain vigilant and immediately move to higher ground until further notice,” Mr. Alejandro said in a video news briefing.

“Boat owners in ports and coastal areas… should secure their boats and move away from the coast,” he said.