Late on Saturday, Mindanao, located in the southern Philippines, experienced a powerful earthquake with a magnitude of at least 7.5, triggering evacuation orders in some areas and raising concerns of potential tsunami waves along the Philippine coasts and southwestern Japanese shores.
The Philippine Seismology Agency Phivolcs reported that tsunami waves, possibly reaching a height of a meter (3 feet) or more, were expected to hit the Philippines by midnight (1600 GMT) and persist for several hours. The U.S. Tsunami Warning System issued alerts of waves up to 3 meters above the tide level along certain Philippine coasts, advising boats at sea to remain offshore in deep waters until further notice. Phivolcs specifically urged residents near the coasts of Surigao Del Sur and Davao Oriental provinces to evacuate immediately or move farther inland.
Japanese broadcaster NHK indicated that tsunami waves of around one meter were anticipated to reach Japan's southwestern coast approximately 30 minutes after the initial seismic activity - by 1:30 a.m. on Sunday (1630 GMT on Saturday). While Phivolcs did not anticipate significant damage from the earthquake itself, they warned of potential aftershocks.
Raymark Gentallan, the local police chief of Hinatuan, a coastal town near the earthquake's epicenter, reported power outages since the quake struck. However, there have been no reported casualties or damage as of now. Disaster response teams are actively monitoring the situation.
Earthquakes are a common occurrence in the Philippines due to its location on the "Ring of Fire," a seismic hotspot characterized by numerous volcanoes encircling the Pacific Ocean. The European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) reported a magnitude 7.5 earthquake at a depth of 63 km (39 miles).
The U.S. Geological Survey provided a slightly higher magnitude, measuring the earthquake at 7.6 with a depth of 32 km (20 miles). According to the USGS, the earthquake occurred at 10:37 p.m. Philippines time (1437 GMT).
Residents in affected regions are urged to stay vigilant, follow evacuation orders, and adhere to official guidance as authorities work to assess the situation and mitigate potential risks.