At least 15 people were feared dead and more than 100 injured after a powerful magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck off the southern Philippines on Monday morning, prompting tsunami warnings across several countries in Southeast Asia.
The earthquake occurred off the coast of Mindanao Island, with its epicentre located approximately 20 kilometres from Sarangani province. Strong tremors were felt across at least a dozen provinces in the Philippines and as far away as the Indonesian city of Manado on Sulawesi Island, about 420 kilometres from the epicentre.
Authorities in the Philippines launched emergency assessments as reports emerged of widespread damage and casualties. The Office of Civil Defence said it was verifying initial reports that 15 people had been killed and 129 injured, with many of the injuries reportedly caused by falling debris.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr ordered an immediate disaster response across Mindanao, directing government agencies to prepare relief supplies, establish evacuation centres and stand ready for rescue operations.
“The national government is moving and we will not leave Mindanao behind,” Marcos said in a statement.
Tsunami alerts were issued for parts of the southern Philippines, northern Indonesia and the Malaysian state of Sabah following the quake. The United States Tsunami Warning System warned that several countries could be affected, while authorities in Australia and Japan issued precautionary advisories.
The Philippines' seismology agency reported at least nine strong aftershocks across Mindanao, the largest measuring magnitude 6.7.
The full scale of the destruction remains unclear, but images and videos emerging from affected areas showed significant structural damage. In the city of General Santos, footage released by local authorities showed a building housing a fast-food restaurant collapsing as residents fled through clouds of dust.
A hospital in the city was evacuated after cracks were discovered on upper floors, while a building at Notre Dame of Dadiangas University collapsed. No injuries were reported at the university.
University president Manuel de Leon said the shaking was both powerful and prolonged.
“I had to duck and shelter myself under the table. And it was very long and strong,” he told local broadcaster DZMM.
In Sarangani province, authorities reported damaged storefronts, shattered windows and collapsed concrete structures. Emergency response teams and military disaster units were deployed to affected communities.
A video recorded at a local school captured children swaying during the tremor before evacuating as a makeshift shelter collapsed behind them.
Sarangani police official Benjie Ancheta said the earthquake struck during a police flag-raising ceremony, causing panic among attendees.
“This is the strongest earthquake we’ve experienced,” he said.
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim expressed solidarity with those affected and said Malaysia stood ready to assist the Philippines.
“I pray for the safety and wellbeing of all those affected, wishing them strength and courage in the difficult days ahead,” Anwar wrote on social media.
In Indonesia, residents of North Sulawesi and the remote Sangihe Islands moved to higher ground after tsunami waves of up to 0.75 metres were detected in some coastal areas. Officials reported only minor damage, but evacuations were carried out as a precaution.
The earthquake comes eight months after a deadly magnitude 6.9 quake struck off Cebu in the Philippines, killing 79 people. Two additional powerful earthquakes hit Mindanao weeks later, underscoring the region’s vulnerability to seismic activity.
Both the Philippines and Indonesia lie along the Pacific Ring of Fire, one of the world's most active seismic zones, where earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occur frequently.