A powerful earthquake measuring 7.6 on the Richter scale struck the island of Mindanao in the southern Philippines on Friday morning, prompting authorities to issue urgent tsunami warnings. Initial warnings extended to parts of Indonesia and Palau, before authorities later reassured that the threat had passed.
The Philippine Seismological Institute confirmed that the earthquake's epicenter was located approximately 62 kilometers from the town of Manay, at a depth of 10 kilometers, warning of possible aftershocks and material damage.
Authorities also called on residents in coastal areas to immediately evacuate to higher ground, warning that waves could exceed one meter above normal levels, and could be even higher in closed bays and fjords.
The European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre reported that the earthquake occurred at a depth of 58 kilometres, while the US Tsunami Warning System issued a tsunami alert extending 300 kilometres from the earthquake's epicenter, before later declaring the danger over.
So far, there have been no confirmed reports of human or material losses, while local authorities continue to closely monitor the situation for any developments.
The Philippines lies on the Pacific Ring of Fire, a seismically active zone that stretches from Japan to Southeast Asia across the Pacific Ocean. On October 1, 2025, the country experienced a 6.9 magnitude earthquake that killed approximately 69 people and injured 147 others.
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