At least 35 dead after magnitude-7.8 earthquake strikes southern Philippines

Earthquake Impact and Casualties

A magnitude-7.8 earthquake struck off the coast of Mindanao island in the southern Philippines on Monday morning,. Official reports indicate that at least 35 people have died as a result of the seismic activity,. The quake occurred at approximately 07:37 local time (Sunday 23:37 GMT),.

The earthquake's epicenter was located about 20 km (12.4 miles) off Sarangani province. Tremors were felt strongly across Mindanao and as far as 420 km (261 miles) away in the city of Manado on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi. In addition to the fatalities, more than 200 people were injured, primarily within damaged buildings.

Infrastructure Damage

Visual evidence and reports from the region show significant structural failure. Videos and images captured the collapse of several buildings, including a Jollibee fast food restaurant that was reduced to rubble,. In the city of General Santos, key infrastructure sustained damage and a few buildings collapsed entirely.

Manila has stepped up search and rescue operations as disaster officials continue to assess the extent of the destruction. The U.S. Embassy in the Philippines confirmed that the earthquake struck just before 7:40 a.m. local time on June 8.

Tsunami Warnings and Regional Effects

The magnitude-7.8 quake triggered tsunami alerts across several countries, including the Philippines, Indonesia, Japan, and Australia,. While some of these warnings were cancelled hours later, small tsunami waves were recorded in the Philippines, Indonesia, and Japan.

A 1-meter (3-foot) tsunami reached nearby coasts in the Philippines, with specific damage reported in at least one coastal village. Smaller waves were also measured in Palau and as far away as southern Japan.

Teresito Bacolcol, the director of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, characterized the event as a "major earthquake".