At least two die in Mindanao quake with multiple building collapses, a tsunami alert lifted
A magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck at 9:43 am near Manay, coastal Davao Oriental, followed by hundreds of aftershocks throughout the day. Damage was reported to homes, hospitals, schools and other buildings, as well as bridges. Rescue teams are still at work.
Manila (AsiaNews/Agencies) – A powerful earthquake struck the Philippines this morning at 9:43 am local time, causing the collapse of several buildings.
Initial reports say at least two people have been killed, but the death toll is only partial, while a tsunami alert was issued for coastal regions within 300 km, which includes Indonesia, but was later lifted.
The magnitude 7.4 earthquake was recorded at a depth of 43 km off the coast of Manay, a town in Davao Oriental in the southern Mindanao, a region once the scene of fighting by separatist and Islamic extremist groups.
The main quake, which was followed by hundreds of aftershocks, occurred 10 days after another deadly earthquake struck Cebu, killing at least 79 people and injuring hundreds.
A Manay official told Reuters that initial reports indicate damage to homes, hospital, schools, and other buildings, as well as bridges, with power outages. The full extent of the damage and the number of victims are still unclear at this time.
Civil defence official Karlo Puerto confirmed that two people were dead, but rescuers are still working, and more deaths cannot be ruled out in the coming hours.
The Philippines sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire, an area where tectonic plates collide, generating frequent seismic and volcanic activity with over 800 earthquakes a year.
Most are weak and go unfelt, but destructive tremors like today’s, one of the most violent to hit the archipelago in recent years, can occur at any time.
Videos and footage shared on social media show residents in Davao clinging to vehicles and improvised supports as the quake shakes homes, buildings, and signs.
Richie Diuyen, a civil defence official in Manay, said the main shock lasted 30 to 40 seconds and damaged some homes and the facade of a church, as well as causing cracks in roads and making some bridges impassable.
“We couldn't stand earlier. I am 46 years old now, and this is the strongest earthquake I ever felt," Diuyen said.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said that the authorities were assessing the situation and that search and rescue teams would deploy as soon as it was safe to do so. “We are working round the clock to ensure that help reaches everyone who needs it,” the president said in a statement.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) warned of possible aftershocks of up to 6.4 magnitude, urging people in the affected areas to stay away from the coast.
Verified footage from the region in the southern Philippines show people pouring out of buildings into the streets, lamps swinging in shops, and offices with cabinets overturned and workers clinging to desks.
Video from the Indonesian island of Sulawesi shows fishing boats returning from sea and children playing on a beach where the water had receded.
PHIVOLCS later downgraded the magnitude from 7.6 to 7.4 and estimated the earthquake's depth at 23 km (14 miles).
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