GENERAL SANTOS, Philippines – At least 32 people are feared dead and dozens more injured after a powerful 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck off the southern Philippine island of Mindanao on Monday, prompting an extensive search and rescue operation and triggering tsunami warnings across several countries.
The earthquake struck early in the morning about 20 kilometres (12.4 miles) off the coast of Sarangani province. Tremors were felt across Mindanao and as far away as Manado, on Indonesia’s Sulawesi island, approximately 420 kilometres from the epicentre.
Residents in General Santos City, one of the hardest-hit areas and home to around 700,000 people, described scenes of panic as buildings shook violently.
“It was the first time I experienced something that strong, that I really couldn’t stop myself from tearing up. I thought about my children and my niece – what if something had happened to them?” said Jojo Calma, 44, who was driving his motorised tricycle taxi when a nearby building collapsed.
The collapse of a building housing a fast-food outlet was caught on video released by local authorities. Footage showed frightened bystanders running for safety as a cloud of dust engulfed the area.
Calma said his children, who were at school when the earthquake struck, escaped unharmed, although his sibling’s home was destroyed.
The earthquake occurred as schools were resuming classes following an extended break.
Military units and disaster response teams were deployed across the region as authorities worked to verify preliminary reports indicating 32 deaths and at least 134 injuries across Mindanao. Most casualties were caused by falling debris and landslides, according to civil defence officials.
Tsunami warnings were eventually lifted more than six hours after the earthquake for southern Philippines, northern Indonesia and Malaysia’s Sabah state on Borneo, where residents in vulnerable coastal areas had initially been ordered to move to higher ground.
The disaster comes eight months after the Philippines experienced its deadliest earthquake in more than a decade, when a 6.9-magnitude tremor off Cebu Island claimed 79 lives. Two additional powerful earthquakes struck Mindanao just weeks later, the strongest measuring magnitude 7.4.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr ordered an immediate national response, directing government agencies to prepare relief supplies, evacuation centres and rescue teams.
“The national government is moving and we will not leave Mindanao behind,” Marcos said in a statement.
The Philippines and neighbouring Indonesia lie along the Pacific Ring of Fire, one of the world’s most active seismic zones, where hundreds of earthquakes occur each year.
Authorities said damage assessments were continuing across affected provinces, although persistent aftershocks have hampered efforts to inspect buildings and infrastructure.
Bong Dacera, a disaster management official, told reporters that structural assessments in General Santos could not begin immediately because of safety concerns linked to continuing seismic activity.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology reported more than 200 aftershocks, including at least nine that were strongly felt across Mindanao. The strongest registered magnitude 6.7.
Shops, homes and commercial buildings suffered varying degrees of damage. Some structures were left with shattered windows and damaged facades, while others were reduced to rubble.
“When I got home, there was no electricity and water. We are all affected, we don’t have anything to drink,” said Jayson Manarca, a 30-year-old tricycle driver.
One hospital was evacuated after cracks appeared on upper floors. A building at Notre Dame of Dadiangas University collapsed, although no injuries were reported as the structure was unoccupied at the time.
A video shared by a local school showed children seated on the floor as the building swayed violently. Some clung to teachers before rushing outside, while a makeshift shelter collapsed behind them.
Benjie Ancheta, police chief of Alabel town in Sarangani province, said the earthquake struck during a police flag-raising ceremony, causing several people to faint.
The United States Tsunami Warning System initially warned that multiple countries could be affected, while Australia issued a precautionary alert for its northern coastline.
Japan’s Meteorological Agency reported a tsunami of up to 0.2 metres and temporarily suspended some ferry services while beaches were closed as a precaution.
In Indonesia, residents in Manado reported strong shaking, although only minor damage was recorded.
Abdul Muhari, spokesperson for Indonesia’s disaster mitigation agency, said tsunami waves of up to 0.75 metres were detected in parts of North Sulawesi. Residents, including those living on the remote Sangihe Islands near the Philippine border, moved to higher ground as a precaution.
Emergency officials across the region continue to monitor the situation as rescue teams search for survivors and assess the full extent of the damage.
Source: Reuters
