A powerful magnitude-7.8 earthquake struck off the coast of southern Philippines on Monday morning, killing at least 19 people and injuring 134 others as rescue teams raced to search for survivors amid collapsed buildings and widespread destruction.
The quake hit at 7:37am local time near the southern island of Mindanao, with its epicentre located off Sarangani Province near General Santos City at a depth of about 10 kilometres, according to Philippine seismologists.
The strong tremor triggered tsunami warnings across the Philippines, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia and several Pacific territories before most alerts were later lifted.
Authorities said many of the casualties were caused by falling debris, collapsed structures and landslides.
Images and videos from the affected region showed damaged buildings, including a collapsed Jollibee restaurant in General Santos City, while rescue workers combed through rubble searching for trapped victims.
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered an immediate nationwide emergency response, directing government agencies to assist affected communities and urging residents in vulnerable coastal areas to move to higher ground.
“We will not leave Mindanao behind,” Marcos said as authorities suspended classes in affected areas and opened evacuation centres. The earthquake struck on the first day of the new school year, forcing thousands of students and teachers to flee school compounds during morning activities.
Limited tsunami waves ranging from a few centimetres to about 1.4 metres were recorded along parts of the Philippine coast.
While the tsunami threat has largely passed, authorities warned residents to remain alert for strong aftershocks and possible secondary hazards.
The quake was also felt in Indonesia's North Sulawesi province, more than 200 kilometres from the epicentre, prompting precautionary evacuations in some coastal communities.
The earthquake occurred along the Cotabato Trench, one of the Philippines' most active seismic zones. The country sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire, making it highly vulnerable to earthquakes and volcanic activity.
Government scientists said the quake was caused by a subduction event, where one tectonic plate slid beneath another.
Earthquakes are common in the Philippines due to its location on the Pacific Ring of Fire, where several tectonic plates meet. In recent years, a number of powerful quakes have struck the country, causing deaths, injuries and widespread destruction.
Emergency responders, military personnel and humanitarian organisations remain deployed across Mindanao as damage assessments continue and the search for survivors enters its critical phase.