Powerful earthquake triggers tsunami warnings off the coast of the Philippines

Earthquake Strikes Philippines, Triggering Tsunami Alerts Across Asia

A magnitude 7.8 earthquake has struck off the island of Mindanao in the Philippines, causing widespread destruction and triggering tsunami alerts across Asia. The quake occurred at approximately 7:40am local time on Sunday, according to data from the United States Geological Survey.

Video footage posted on official social media channels shows a three-storey building that housed a Jollibees restaurant collapsing in General Santos City, Mindanao. Images also show extensive damage to buildings, including smashed windows and caved-in roofs.

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos has activated emergency agencies, including the Office of Civil Defence and the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council. He has urged citizens in affected provinces to follow government advisories regarding tsunami warnings.

The US-based Pacific Tsunami Warning Center has reported that tsunami waves as high as 3 metres (9.8 feet) could hit coastal areas of the Philippines, while waves of up to 1 metre (3.3ft) are possible in parts of Indonesia and Malaysia. The US National Tsunami Warning Center has downgraded the quake’s magnitude from an earlier estimate of 8.2.

Officials in Indonesia, the Philippines, and Japan have issued alerts warning of possible hazardous tsunami waves and advising citizens in coastal areas to seek safety. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) has advised people in nine provinces to evacuate to higher ground or further inland.

The PHIVOLCS has also provided guidance for boat owners, instructing them to secure their vessels and move away from the waterfront. Boats already at sea are advised to stay offshore until further notice.

Source: Al Jazeera