A powerful 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck off the southern coast of Mindanao Island in the Philippines, causing multiple buildings and homes to collapse. At least three people have died and several others were injured. Philippine authorities issued a tsunami warning and mobilized emergency agencies to assist victims. Indonesia and Japan also issued tsunami watches before later canceling the alerts.
At 07:37 a.m. local time on Monday, a strong 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck off the southern coast near Maasim town, Sarangani province, on Mindanao Island, Philippines. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) described the shaking as level 7, indicating "highly destructive" effects, and warned of possible aftershocks.
Police officials in General Santos City told AFP that the tremors caused several buildings and houses to collapse. So far, at least three deaths and four injuries have been confirmed. Rescue teams are working urgently to help those who may be trapped under the rubble.
Meanwhile, videos shared online show a shopping mall with a fast-food restaurant collapsing into piles of bricks and debris. A local school building also crumbled, with witnesses screaming in shock, saying, "Oh my God! It’s collapsing! The building is really falling down!"
Phivolcs issued a tsunami warning, predicting waves over one meter above normal sea levels could strike the coast. The quake occurred on 8 June, the first day of the school term for public schools in the Philippines.
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. issued an urgent statement ordering all government agencies to expedite assistance to disaster victims. He also suspended classes at all levels across affected areas of Mindanao until further notice. He urged citizens in impacted provinces to follow tsunami warnings and evacuate to higher ground immediately, emphasizing, "Do not delay. Your life is more valuable than any belongings left behind."
Meanwhile, Education Secretary Sonny Angara said structural engineer teams have been deployed alongside regional staff to quickly assess the safety of affected school buildings.
Beyond the Philippines, the earthquake impacted neighboring countries. Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) issued a tsunami warning and ordered immediate evacuation in high-risk northern areas such as Manado city in North Sulawesi province and Sangihe Island. However, after about four and a half hours, Indonesia canceled the warning. Reports confirmed small tsunami waves hit nine locations, with the highest wave at Sangihe Island measuring 0.75 meters.
Japan’s Meteorological Agency also issued tsunami watches and warnings along the Pacific coast, forecasting possible waves around one meter high striking various areas starting from 11:30 a.m. local time.
The Philippines and Indonesia lie along the Pacific "Ring of Fire," a highly active seismic zone where earthquakes and volcanic eruptions frequently occur. Indonesia previously suffered a devastating 9.1-magnitude earthquake and tsunami in Aceh province in 2004, which killed over 170,000 people.