A 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Mindanao in the southern Philippines on Monday, prompting tsunami warnings, according to the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ).
The quake struck
at a depth of 10 km (6.2 miles), GFZ said. The geophysics agencies of the Philippines and neighbouring Indonesia issued tsunami warnings. There were no immediate reports of major damage in either country.
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Earlier, the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ) had initially estimated the earthquake at a magnitude of 8.2. The US Tsunami Warning System also issued a tsunami threat following the quake.
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The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) estimated the earthquake at magnitude 7.0 and warned of potential damage as well as tsunami waves higher than one meter (about one yard), which could continue for several hours.
Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysical Agency (BMKG) meanwhile put the quake’s magnitude at 7.7.
Benjie Ancheta, police chief of Alabel town in Sarangani province, Philippines, said the police station building sustained some cracks immediately after the earthquake, which struck during their morning flag-raising ceremony.
Ancheta added that there were no immediate reports of casualties, although some people fainted due to the strong tremor.
"This is the strongest earthquake we've experienced," Ancheta told Reuters by phone.
Witnesses in Indonesia’s northern city of Manado reported that the quake felt very strong.The Philippines and Indonesia lie in a tectonically complex region of the "Pacific Ring of Fire", a highly seismically active belt that stretches from South America to the Russian Far East.
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said he has instructed all government officials to respond immediately to the powerful earthquake. He also ordered the suspension of classes at all levels in affected areas of Mindanao until further notice.
Marcos urged residents to strictly follow tsunami warnings and appealed to those in vulnerable coastal areas to immediately move to higher ground.
He said, "Do not wait. Life is more important than anything left behind." He also assured residents that the national government was mobilising resources and pledged that "we will not leave Mindanao behind."
Bhutan earthquake
A magnitude 5.8 earthquake struck Bhutan late on Sunday night, triggering multiple aftershocks and sending tremors across several parts of Northeast India, according to the National Centre for Seismology (NCS).The quake occurred at 11:06 pm IST at a depth of 26 km, with its epicentre located in Bhutan. The epicentre was approximately 252 km from parts of Assam, and tremors were felt in various areas across India’s northeastern region.
