7.8-magnitude earthquake hits southern Philippines; 15 feared dead

MANILA: A massive 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of the southern Philippines early Monday morning, triggering cross-country tsunami alerts and leaving at least 15 people feared dead and 129 others injured.

According to global monitoring agencies, the colossal tremor struck off the coast of Mindanao’s Sarangani province at a shallow depth, sending violent shockwaves through a dozen provinces. The impact was felt as far as 420 kilometers away in Manado, Indonesia.

The disaster struck just as schools across the Philippines were reopening after a long break, causing widespread panic and forcing thousands to flee for their lives.

Destruction Captured on Camera

Harrowing footage emerging from General Santos, a major city of 700,000 people close to the epicenter, showed the terrifying moment a fast-food restaurant building completely collapsed into a giant cloud of dust as panicked onlookers screamed and fled.

At the Notre Dame of Dadiangas University, a campus building buckled and crumbled to the ground.

“I had to duck and shelter myself under the table. And it was very long and strong,” University President Manuel de Leon told local broadcasters.

Hospitals in the area were hastily evacuated due to structural cracks on upper floors, while images from Sarangani province showed smashed shop fronts, shattered windows, and streets littered with concrete debris.

Regional Tsunami Evacuations

The massive undersea rupture prompted immediate tsunami warnings across multiple nations. The U.S. Tsunami Warning System flagged severe risks, while Japan observed minor waves of up to 0.2 meters, prompting precautionary beach closures.

In Indonesia’s remote Sangihe Islands, located between the two countries, residents did not wait for official orders after a 0.75-meter wave was detected.

“They are now evacuating to the higher ground… away from the coast, to avoid the potential tsunami,” local resident Jufry Dalita told reporters.

‘We Will Not Leave Mindanao Behind’

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ordered an immediate, high-stakes military and civilian mobilization to the island of Mindanao—a landmass roughly the size of South Korea.

“The national government is moving and we will not leave Mindanao behind,” the President vowed in an official statement, directing emergency bodies to rapidly set up evacuation camps and deploy search-and-rescue teams.

The military has already deployed specialized disaster response units to the hardest-hit towns. In Alabel, local police chief Benjie Ancheta reported that the terrifying shaking began right during a morning police flag-raising ceremony, causing several people to faint from sheer panic. “This is the strongest earthquake we’ve experienced,” he said.

Neighbours Step Up

International support has begun pouring in for the disaster-hit archipelago. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim expressed his solidarity and offered immediate state assistance.

“I pray for the safety and wellbeing of all those affected, wishing them strength and courage in the difficult days ahead,” PM Anwar posted on X.

The Philippines and neighboring Indonesia sit on the highly volatile Pacific “Ring of Fire,” a vast, seismically active horseshoe belt prone to frequent volcanic eruptions and earthquakes. This latest catastrophe comes just eight months after a 6.9-magnitude tremor devastated Cebu, killing 79 people.