Devastating 7.8 Magnitude Earthquake Hits Southern Philippines

Major Earthquake Strikes

Manila, June 8: An offshore earthquake measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale hit the southern region of the Philippines early Monday morning, causing significant damage to buildings and a crucial bridge in a prominent city, while also triggering a tsunami that reached one meter in height along nearby shores.

Officials reported that at least four individuals lost their lives, including three from General Santos City and one from Davao Oriental province, with over 200 others sustaining injuries.

This earthquake, the most powerful to strike the Philippines this year, was attributed to tectonic activity along the Cotabato Trench at a depth of 10 kilometers, as stated by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology.

Institute director Teresito Bacolcol informed the media, "This is a significant earthquake, and we anticipate considerable damage, as evidenced by the videos we have received showing affected buildings."

Ednar Dayanghirang, the director of the Office of Civil Defence in Davao, noted that more than 100 students participating in morning flag-raising ceremonies in General Santos experienced injuries, with some fainting due to panic at various educational institutions.

"I struggled to maintain my balance when the ground shook as I exited my home," Dayanghirang recounted during a phone call from Davao, a key port city in the southern Philippines.

In General Santos, numerous small structures partially collapsed, and several buildings, including a vital access bridge, developed serious cracks, according to Rod Sosmena, the regional director of the Office of Civil Defence.

Sosmena mentioned that there were no immediate reports of individuals trapped in the collapsed buildings, adding that he was en route to work when the earthquake struck.

Tsunami waves reaching up to one meter were recorded in Sultan Kudarat and Sarangani provinces by land-based monitoring stations, Bacolcol confirmed. Smaller waves were also noted in at least one other province.

Malaysia's Meteorological Department issued a tsunami alert for Sabah state on Borneo island, which is located a short boat ride from the southern Philippines. An 83-centimeter tsunami was also detected by a gauge off the coast of Indonesia's Sulawesi island.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center indicated that the tsunami threat had mostly subsided about five hours after the earthquake struck at 7:37 a.m.

However, residents were advised to remain cautious and adhere to local authorities' guidance, as sea levels could continue to fluctuate for several hours.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. urged individuals in tsunami-prone regions to seek higher ground. Authorities in Indonesia and Malaysia also issued alerts for coastal communities nearby.

The Philippine president stated that disaster-response teams were on standby, emphasizing, "The national government is mobilizing, and we will not neglect Mindanao."

Following the earthquake, the international airport in General Santos was temporarily closed, resulting in the cancellation of 17 domestic flights, according to civil aviation officials.