Home · World · Jun 8 archive
A {{M|w|7.8}} earthquake, whose epicenter is located off Maasim, Sarangani, Philippines, strikes Mindanao, hitting as far as Leyte, the provinces of North Maluku and North Sulawesi
Confirmed
In Short: A magnitude-7.8 earthquake struck off the coast of Sarangani, Philippines, causing landslides and triggering tsunami warnings in several countries.
A magnitude-7.8 earthquake struck off the coast of Sarangani, Philippines, at 7:37 a.m., causing immediate landslides and triggering tsunami warnings in the Philippines, Indonesia, Palau, Taiwan, and Papua New Guinea.
The earthquake, located 32 kilometers southwest of Maasim, Sarangani, at a depth of 33 kilometers, was followed by strong aftershocks and resulted in at least 37 deaths and 479 injuries, mostly from falling debris and landslides.
Tsunami waves were recorded in six coastal areas, with the highest reaching 1.4 meters above normal tide levels in Kiamba, Sarangani. The ground shaking was felt in several provinces, including Surigao del Norte, Zamboanga del Norte, and Leyte.
Authorities advised people not to enter damaged buildings due to the risk of aftershocks, and Phivolcs issued warnings to avoid coastal areas affected by the tsunami.
The earthquake also impacted North Maluku in Indonesia, with strong shaking felt in parts of the province, highlighting the widespread impact of the seismic event across the region.
Background
The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of about 7,641 islands, with a total area of about 300,000 square kilometers.
North Maluku is a province of Indonesia. It covers the northern part of the Maluku Islands, bordering the Pacific Ocean to the north, the Halmahera Sea to the east, the Molucca Sea to the west, and the Seram Sea to the south.
What's confirmed
What's still developing
- The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said the tectonic earthquake occurred at 7:37 a.m.
- Tsunami warnings were issued in the Philippines, Indonesia, Palau, Taiwan and Papua New Guinea after the offshore quake struck about 32 kilometers southwest of Maasim, Sarangani, at a depth of 33 kilometers.
- Rene Punzalan, chie of Sarangani’s Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management, said the landslide occurred immediately after the earthquake.
- “The landslide happened immediately after the earthquake, so many lives were lost,” Punzalan said.
- A series of strong aftershocks struck the region beginning about two hours after the main earthquake, according to the United States Geological Survey.
- Rod Sosmeña, director of the Office of Civil Defense in Soccsksargen, said he was traveling in General Santos City when the earthquake struck.
- Tsunami waves were recorded in six coastal areas following the earthquake, according to Phivolcs.
- The first waves were observed in Maasim, Sarangani, at 7:42 a.m., followed by Kiamba, Sarangani, at 7:44 a.m.; Kalamansig, Sultan Kudarat, at 7:59 a.m.; Mati, Davao Oriental, at 8:19 a.m.; Zamboanga City at 8:32…