Strong earthquake of magnitude 7.6 shakes southern Philippines and tsunami warning is issued
MANILA: A magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck off the southern Philippine coast on Friday, the country’s seismology agency said, with a tsunami warning issued and people in nearby coastal areas urged to evacuate to higher ground.
The Phivolcs agency warned of damage and aftershocks after the strong earthquake that occurred in coastal waters of the city of Manay in Davao Oriental, in the Mindanao region. He said the earthquake occurred at a depth of 10 kilometers (6 miles).
The agency warned people living in coastal cities in the central and southern Philippines to immediately evacuate to higher ground or move inland.
There were no immediate reports of damage.
Phivolcs said wave heights of up to more than a meter above normal tides could be expected in the next two hours.
The European-Mediterranean Seismological Center estimated the magnitude at 7.4 and at a depth of 58 kilometers (36 miles).
The U.S. Tsunami Warning System also issued a tsunami threat, saying dangerous tsunami waves are possible on coasts located within a 300-kilometer (186-mile) radius of the earthquake’s epicenter.
