A major earthquake of magnitude 7.6 shook Davao Oriental province in the Mindanao region of the Philippines on Friday morning, prompting urgent tsunami warnings for nearby coastal areas.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) reported that the quake struck at 9:43 a.m. local time (0143 GMT) at a depth of 10 kilometers, approximately 62 kilometers east of Manay. Initial readings from the US Geological Survey (USGS) and the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) had recorded the quake at 7.4 magnitude, which was later revised to 7.6 by PHIVOLCS.
Seismology chief Teresito Bacolcol confirmed that the quake could trigger aftershocks and warned of potential tsunami waves along the Pacific coast. According to the US Tsunami Warning System, hazardous waves may affect coasts within 300 km (186 miles) of the epicenter.
PHIVOLCS has advised residents in coastal areas to immediately evacuate to higher ground or move farther inland, as one-meter waves are expected over the next two hours along the Philippines’ Pacific coast.
