A powerful 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Mindanao island in the southern Philippines on Monday morning, resulting in at least 12 deaths and injuring over 200 people. The quake caused buildings to collapse and prompted urgent evacuations along the coast.
The undersea tremor occurred at 7:37 am local time near Sarangani province, sending residents into panic as structures began to crumble. Initial global estimates suggested the quake could have been as strong as 8.2, but local and international seismological agencies later confirmed the magnitude at 7.8.
In a significant development, the earthquake triggered tsunami warnings across the Philippines, Indonesia, Palau, and Malaysia. However, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center later confirmed that the threat had mostly subsided after detecting waves up to one meter high.
The port city of General Santos, a major commercial center with a population exceeding 700,000, was among the hardest hit. Disturbing footage circulated on social media showed the upper floors of a commercial building on Daproza Street collapsing, destroying a well-known Jollibee fast-food outlet.
Meanwhile, in Davao del Sur, students watched in fear as parts of the Matanao National High School building gave way. Disaster officials reported that most of the 12 fatalities resulted from falling debris and collapsing structures. In South Cotabato, one person died from injuries caused by falling masonry, while another suffered a fatal cardiac arrest during the quake.
Widespread infrastructure damage was reported, with police confirming significant cracks in hospitals, government offices, and critical bridges, including the Bucana Bridge in Davao City.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr assured the nation that the government is fully mobilizing resources to support the affected areas. He emphasized, “The national government is moving and we will not leave Mindanao behind,” as inter-agency response teams were placed on high alert.
Over 500 police officers and disaster response personnel have been deployed to manage operations across more than 500 newly opened evacuation centers. The region has experienced over 130 aftershocks since the initial quake, including a strong 6.5-magnitude tremor that has complicated rescue efforts. Authorities have warned residents not to return to damaged homes due to ongoing risks.
Both the Philippines and neighboring Indonesia lie along the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” a highly active seismic zone prone to frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. This recent earthquake is reportedly the strongest to hit the archipelago since 1990.
