Strong 7.6 magnitude earthquake hits southern Philippines, tsunami warning issued
MANILA: A magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck off the southern Philippines on Friday, the country’s seismology agency said, with a tsunami warning issued and residents in nearby coastal areas urged to evacuate to higher ground.
Phivolcs warned of damage and aftershocks after the strong offshore earthquake, which struck in the waters off Manay town in Davao Oriental, Mindanao region. The earthquake occurred at a depth of 10 km (6 miles), according to the report.
The agency warned residents of coastal cities in the central and southern Philippines to immediately evacuate to higher ground or move further inland.
No damage was immediately reported.
Phivolcs said wave heights of up to more than a meter above normal tides could be expected over the next two hours.
The Euro-Mediterranean Seismological Center estimates the magnitude at 7.4 and a depth of 58 km (36 miles).
The U.S. tsunami warning system also issued a tsunami threat, saying dangerous tsunami waves are possible on coastlines within 300 km (186 miles) of the quake’s epicenter.
