Magnitude 7.4 Earthquake Strikes Philippines' Mindanao, Tsunami Warning Issued

A massive earthquake of magnitude 7.6 struck offshore in the southern Philippines on Friday, the country’s seismology agency said, with a tsunami warning issued and people in nearby coastal areas urged

to evacuate to higher ground.

The Phivolcs agency warned of possible damage and aftershocks following the powerful offshore earthquake, which struck in waters near Manay town in Davao Oriental, Mindanao region. The quake occurred at a depth of 10 km (6 miles), it said.

There were no immediate reports of damage.

The agency warned people living in coastal towns in the central and southern Philippines to immediately evacuate to higher ground or move further inland.

According to Phivolcs, wave heights of more than one metre above normal tides could be expected in the next two hours.

The European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre put the magnitude at 7.4 and at a depth of 58 km (36 miles).

The U.S. Tsunami Warning System issued a tsunami alert, warning that dangerous waves could affect coastal areas within 300 km (186 miles) of the earthquake’s epicentre.

(With inputs from Reuters)