A powerful 8.1-magnitude earthquake struck the Philippines on Monday, triggering tsunami warnings and prompting evacuations across affected areas. Several videos circulating on social media captured terrifying scenes of buildings collapsing as the ground shook violently.
Damage and Casualties
High school and university buildings were among the structures reported to have suffered damage. According to viral videos shared online, several buildings crumbled into rubble. In one clip filmed outside a school campus, students gathered in an open ground area as a precautionary measure while the building collapsed. The earthquake has killed at least one person and injured four others, according to AFP. Police reported that a number of buildings and houses collapsed in the affected areas, with rescue operations underway.
Master Sergeant Robert Dagon of the General Santos City police stated, "Many buildings were affected, but I cannot enumerate them now because we are busy with ongoing rescues. A number of buildings collapsed. Some houses also collapsed."
Tsunami Warnings
Tsunami warnings were issued by authorities in the Philippines and neighboring Indonesia after the quake struck at a depth of around 10 kilometers. The US Tsunami Warning System also warned of a potential tsunami threat across parts of the Pacific region. According to Philippine authorities, tsunami waves exceeding one meter were possible and could continue for several hours after the earthquake.
Magnitude Reports
The earthquake was initially measured at 8.2 magnitude by the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ), which later revised its estimate, Reuters reported. Other monitoring agencies reported varying magnitudes, ranging from 7.0 to 7.8.
Structural Damage and Evacuations
Officials reported damage to several structures, including a portion of a building in the southern city of General Santos that collapsed following the tremor. Hospitals evacuated patients, while schools moved students to safer locations on what was the first day of classes in some areas, Bloomberg reported. Benjie Ancheta, police chief of Alabel town in Sarangani province, told Reuters that the police station suffered cracks immediately after the quake. "This is the strongest earthquake we've experienced," Ancheta said.
Seismic Activity
The Philippines lies along the Pacific Ring of Fire, one of the world's most seismically active regions, making the country highly vulnerable to earthquakes and volcanic activity.
