On June 8th, local time, a magnitude 7.8 earthquake occurred in the Philippines.
According to Reuters and RT, Filipino authorities are assessing the damage caused by the earthquake. The Philippine Civil Defense Office is verifying preliminary reports, which indicate that the earthquake has resulted in 15 deaths and 129 injuries.
On the morning of June 8 local time, a strong earthquake occurred in southern Philippines. The U.S. Geological Survey reported that the magnitude of this earthquake was 7.8. Previously, several agencies had measured the magnitude at 8.2.
The Philippine Institute of Geophysics said that as of 11 a.m. local time on June 8, 138 aftershocks had been recorded, including one with a magnitude of 6.1.
The Philippine Civil Aviation Authority stated that due to the strong earthquake and tsunami warnings, General Santos International Airport has been closed temporarily. The authority mentioned that the flight-related announcements took effect at 8:45 local time and were expected to remain in effect until 3:00 PM.
According to reports, when the earthquake occurred, a rural elementary school in Malita City, West Davao Province was holding a flag-raising ceremony. The footage showed teachers tightly protecting the students from danger on the playground, constantly giving instructions such as “keep an eye on the children and remain in a crouched position.” During this time, a metal shed on the playground suddenly collapsed, causing the children to cry in panic. Fortunately, the school authorities later confirmed that there were no casualties.
Videos circulating on social media show buildings shaking, ceilings and walls cracking, debris falling onto the streets, and panicked residents running out of their homes, shops, and offices.
Video footage also shows that some buildings have been damaged or collapsed. The Philippine emergency services have been deployed to the affected areas of Mindanao to assess roads, bridges, ports, electricity lines, and public buildings.
After the earthquake, tsunami warnings were issued for several coastal areas. The Philippine Institute of Geophysics stated that from 7:42 a.m. to 8:45 a.m. local time, tsunami waves were detected in six regions of Mindanao, with the highest wave reaching 1.4 meters.
The Indonesian Meteorological, Climatological, and Geophysical Bureau stated that tsunami waves ranging from 0.09 to 0.19 meters were detected at three locations in the country. Japanese authorities warned that tsunamis reaching up to 1 meter could hit southern Okinawa islands and coastal areas of the Pacific Ocean.
