By Anietie anii-bassey
A powerful 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck off the southern coast of the Philippines early Monday, triggering a tsunami that swept onto nearby shorelines, damaging infrastructure, disrupting transportation, and leaving at least four people dead and more than 200 others injured as emergency authorities raced to respond to the disaster.
The undersea earthquake occurred at approximately 7:37 a.m. local time and was centered about 13 kilometers southwest of General Santos City, one of the largest urban centers in the southern Mindanao region and a major hub for the country’s tuna industry and commercial trade.
The violent shaking was felt across a wide area of southern Philippines, sending residents rushing out of homes, schools, and office buildings in panic as roads trembled and structures swayed.
Shortly after the earthquake, tsunami waves measuring up to one meter in height reached portions of the nearby coastline, prompting authorities to issue urgent evacuation orders for vulnerable communities. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. appealed directly to residents in at-risk areas to move immediately to higher ground and follow instructions from emergency officials without delay.
“The national government is moving and we will not leave Mindanao behind,” the president said as disaster-response agencies were placed on full alert.
Neighboring countries also reacted quickly to the seismic event. Authorities in Indonesia and Malaysia issued tsunami advisories for coastal communities closest to the affected region as officials monitored sea levels for possible additional wave activity.
Although the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center later announced that the most significant tsunami threat had largely subsided about five hours after the earthquake, it warned that fluctuations in sea levels could continue for several more hours and urged residents to remain cautious and obey local authorities.
The earthquake proved particularly destructive in General Santos City, where emergency officials reported at least three fatalities and approximately 130 injuries. Several small buildings partially collapsed while numerous other structures suffered serious damage, including a key access bridge that developed dangerous cracks, raising concerns about its structural integrity.
Emergency response teams immediately began assessing buildings throughout the city while engineers inspected roads, bridges, and public facilities for hidden damage that could pose additional risks.
Rod Sosmeña, regional director of the Office of Civil Defense, said there were no immediate indications that people remained trapped inside collapsed structures, offering some relief amid the widespread destruction.
He recalled experiencing the earthquake while traveling to work, initially believing his vehicle had suffered a mechanical problem before realizing the ground itself was shaking violently.
“Our pickup truck suddenly jerked and I thought we had a flat tire,” he said, describing the confusion that quickly turned into panic as people poured into the streets seeking safety.
The Philippine Department of Health confirmed that another fatality occurred in Davao Oriental province, bringing the overall death toll to at least four people as rescue and assessment operations continued throughout the affected region.
Hospitals and emergency medical teams treated more than 200 injured individuals, many of whom suffered bruises, cuts, or injuries sustained while evacuating buildings during the quake.
Ednar Dayanghirang, director of the Office of Civil Defense in a neighboring southern region, said over 100 students participating in morning flag-raising ceremonies at elementary and high schools suffered minor injuries or fainted amid the chaos caused by the sudden shaking.
He also described his own experience during the earthquake, saying the force of the tremor made it difficult even to remain standing while leaving his home.
Air travel in the region was also disrupted after authorities temporarily suspended operations at General Santos International Airport. Civil aviation officials confirmed that 17 domestic flights were canceled while inspections were carried out to ensure the safety of airport infrastructure and runways.
Elsewhere in the city, local reports indicated that a four-story commercial building partially collapsed, forcing employees to flee to safety. Although no injuries among staff members were immediately reported, uncertainty remained over whether anyone else had been trapped inside the damaged structure.
Falling debris from several buildings also struck parked tricycle taxis and scattered across nearby streets, illustrating the intensity of the shaking experienced throughout the city.
According to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, the earthquake originated from movement along the Cotabato Trench at a depth of approximately 10 kilometers.
Institute Director Teresito Bacolcol described the event as a major seismic incident and warned that significant structural damage was expected based on early assessments and videos received from affected communities.
Monitoring stations recorded tsunami waves of around one meter in Sultan Kudarat and Sarangani provinces, while smaller sea level changes were observed elsewhere in the southern Philippines.
President Marcos emphasized that residents should prioritize their safety over possessions as authorities continued to evaluate coastal risks.
“Please heed the tsunami warning. Move to higher ground now. Do not wait. Your life is more important than anything left behind,” the president urged.
Malaysia’s Meteorological Department issued a tsunami warning for Sabah state on the island of Borneo due to its proximity to the southern Philippines. In Indonesia, monitoring equipment recorded tsunami waves measuring approximately 83 centimeters near Sulawesi, although officials did not immediately report significant damage from the surge.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center also noted that smaller changes in sea level remained possible in Papua New Guinea and other parts of the western Pacific but confirmed that there was no tsunami threat to Hawaii.
In the hours following the main earthquake, numerous aftershocks rattled the region, including tremors reaching magnitudes as high as 6.5 according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
The agency estimated the original earthquake occurred at a depth of about 55 kilometers, noting that differences in depth measurements between scientific organizations are common during the initial stages of seismic analysis.
The Philippines remains one of the world’s most disaster-prone nations due to its location along the Pacific Ring of Fire, where multiple tectonic plates converge and generate frequent earthquakes and volcanic activity.
The country also faces an average of around 20 typhoons and tropical storms each year, making natural disasters a constant challenge for millions of residents across the archipelago.
As rescue operations continue and engineers assess the full extent of the destruction, authorities remain focused on restoring critical infrastructure, assisting displaced families, and ensuring the safety of communities that may still be vulnerable to aftershocks and residual tsunami hazards.
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