MANILA: A powerful 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck the southern Philippines on Monday, killing at least 32 people and injuring more than 100 others, officials and media reports said.
The quake hit near Mindanao island at around 7:40 a.m. local time, causing several buildings to collapse and sending residents rushing into the streets in panic.
According to authorities, more than 10,000 people were evacuated from affected areas as rescue and relief operations continued.
The earthquake was recorded at a shallow depth of around 10 kilometers, which intensified shaking at the surface and increased the level of destruction.
Officials said multiple structures were damaged or destroyed, with reports of collapsed buildings coming in from several districts.\
The strong offshore quake briefly triggered tsunami warnings across parts of Asia, which were later lifted after no significant wave activity was detected.
Earlier, A powerful magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck off the southern Philippine island of Mindanao today, triggering tsunami warnings across the Philippines, Indonesia and parts of the Pacific monitoring network, with residents urged to move to higher ground.
Authorities confirmed at least one death, while assessments of damage and injuries are still ongoing. No major structural destruction has been reported so far, but emergency teams remain on high alert amid continuing aftershocks.
Local radio stations in General Santos, located near the epicenter, reported falling furniture, damaged appliances and widespread panic, as residents rushed out of homes following the tremors. Disaster officials said some injuries had been reported while evaluations were underway.
In Sarangani province, power and communication lines were disrupted and schools were suspended as a precaution. Officials said several coastal communities have begun evacuations after tsunami alerts were issued, with warnings of waves exceeding one metre in some areas.
