A powerful earthquake struck off the southern Philippines on Friday morning, killing at least two people, damaging schools and an international airport, and forcing thousands to flee coastal towns amid tsunami warnings.
The 7.4-magnitude quake hit at 9.43am local time (01.43am GMT) about 43km east of Manay town in Davao Oriental province at a depth of 23 kilometres, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs).
The agency warned of possible aftershocks as strong as magnitude 6.4 and urged residents to stay away from the shoreline.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said emergency teams were on standby and would be deployed when conditions were safe.
“We are working round the clock to ensure that help reaches everyone who needs it,” he said.
Provincial governor Nelson Dayanghirang Sr told ABS-CBN News Channel that at least two people had died after being pinned inside damaged homes in Davao Oriental.
About 250 patients were evacuated from a hospital with cracked walls, and temporary tents were being set up to house them.
The quake damaged several buildings, including parts of schools and a church facade, and cracked roads and bridges in Manay and neighbouring towns.
Office of Civil Defense deputy administrator Bernardo Rafaelito Alejandro IV said the international airport in Davao City sustained damage but remained operational.
Tremors also led to a chemical spill at the 6th floor of San Pedro College in Davao City which was contained by firefighters.
In the nearby coastal town of Governor Generoso, disaster officer Jun Saavedra said power lines swayed and parts of buildings cracked as people rushed into the streets.
“We’ve had earthquakes in the past, but this was the strongest,” he said. About 50 students were treated for bruises and dizziness after panicking during the tremors, he added.
Videos verified by Reuters showed vehicles shaking, gates rattling and office workers sheltering under desks as walls creaked in Davao City, the country’s largest urban centre in the south with 5.4 million residents.
Tsunami warnings were issued for coastal areas within 300 kilometres of the epicentre, prompting evacuations in at least six provinces before being lifted two hours later.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Honolulu said small waves were recorded in the Philippines and Indonesia before the threat passed.
Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency reported minor waves up to 17 centimetres in North Sulawesi’s Talaud Islands, while residents along the coast of Palau were also advised to stay alert.
Phivolcs initially reported the magnitude at 7.6 before revising it to 7.4. The quake was caused by movement along the Philippine Trench, one of the world’s most active fault systems.
The Philippines, located on the seismically active Pacific “Ring of Fire”, experiences hundreds of earthquakes every year. The archipelago is also hit by about 20 tropical storms annually, making disaster response a major challenge for authorities.
Friday’s tremor came less than two weeks after a 6.9-magnitude earthquake killed at least 74 people and displaced thousands in Cebu province, making it the country’s deadliest in more than a decade.
Phivolcs chief Teresito Bacolcol said the agency was monitoring for further movement and urged caution as aftershocks could persist for days.
“Residents should stay alert and avoid returning to damaged structures until they are declared safe,” he said.
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