An offshore earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.6 struck off the coast of Davao Oriental, a southern province of the Philippines, on Friday morning. The quake prompted authorities to issue warnings of a potential hazardous tsunami in nearby areas.
According to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS), the earthquake originated from a shallow fault movement at a depth of 10 kilometres. The epicentre was located approximately 62 kilometres southeast of Manay town. Authorities warned that residents should prepare for possible damage and strong aftershocks in the aftermath of the tremor.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Honolulu indicated that hazardous waves could occur within 300 kilometres of the epicentre. Some Philippine coastlines may experience waves reaching up to 3 metres above normal tide levels. Smaller tsunami waves may also affect nearby countries, including Indonesia and Palau.
These seismic events come as the Philippines recovers from a separate magnitude 6.9 earthquake that struck on September 30, causing at least 74 fatalities and displacing thousands, particularly in the central province of Cebu and its communities, including Bogo city.
The Philippines ranks as one of the world’s most disaster-prone countries, situated on the Pacific “Ring of Fire”, an area notorious for frequent seismic activity. The nation also experiences around 20 typhoons and storms annually, which underscores the importance of effective disaster preparedness and response measures.
Authorities have promptly urged residents in coastal areas to remain vigilant and adhere to evacuation protocols until the tsunami threat completely subsides. Emergency teams are on standby, ready to respond to any incidents arising from this latest earthquake.
