#JustIn: Massive 7.6 Quake Hits Philippines, Tsunami Warnings Issued
Mindanao evacuates as deadly tsunami waves threaten coastal towns.
A massive 7.6-magnitude earthquake rocked Mindanao, Philippines, on Friday morning, striking off the coast of Manay town in Davao Oriental at a depth of 62 kilometers, according to the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC). The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) issued an urgent warning for "destructive tsunami" waves, with life-threatening heights exceeding one meter above normal tides, potentially reaching three meters in enclosed bays and straits.
Coastal residents were ordered to evacuate immediately, with the first waves expected between 9:43 a.m. and 11:43 a.m. PST, possibly persisting for hours. PHIVOLCS flagged significant damage risks and aftershocks, while the U.S. Tsunami Warning System warned of hazardous waves within 300 kilometers of the epicenter, affecting parts of Indonesia and Palau.
No immediate casualties or major damage were reported, but social media captured scenes of panic—swaying buildings, scattered debris, and families fleeing to higher ground. This quake follows a devastating 6.9-magnitude tremor in Cebu last week, which killed 74, injured hundreds, and reduced the historic Parish of Saint Peter the Apostle in Bantayan to rubble.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. mobilized a full-scale response, directing the armed forces, coast guard, and emergency agencies to execute evacuations and activate crisis hotlines. "We are working round the clock to ensure help reaches everyone who needs it," Marcos said, urging national unity and prayers for safety. Rescue and relief operations are on standby, awaiting safer conditions.
As the Philippines, a seismic hotspot on the Pacific Ring of Fire, faces yet another disaster, the nation holds its breath for the tsunami’s impact and the aftershocks to come.
Also Read: Massive 7.8 Quake Strikes Russia’s Kamchatka, no Significant Tsunami Waves Detected
