Philippines earthquake sees 12 dead and 200 injured as 3ft tsunami spotted on coast
An 7.8 earthquake has rocked Mindanao in the Philippines shortly before 7.40am local time as at least 12 people have been killed and 200 left injured after multiple buildings have been damaged and some even collapsing
An offshore magnitude 7.8 earthquake rocked the southern Philippines Monday, leaving at least 12 people dead, injuring more than 200 others mostly in damaged buildings and sparking a three-foot tsunami along nearby coasts, officials said.
However, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said the threat of a tsunami had largely passed about five hours after the quake struck the southern region of Mindanao. There have also been no reports of damage or casualties from the tsunami, as of yet Teresito Bacolcol, the director of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, said.
“It’s a major earthquake and we’re expecting damage and we’ve already some damaged buildings based on videos we’ve seen,” Bacolcol said.
Tsunami waves had been reported in six areas in Mindanao, including Maasim, Kiamba, Kalamansig, Mati, Zamboanga and Tandag City.
The General Santos Airport in Philippines was also evacuated following the earthquake as videos across social media show damage.
Videos show part of the ceiling of the airport had collapsed and debris has been strewn across the floor and baggage collection carousels.
The international airport was temporarily shut with 17 domestic flights were canceled, civil aviation officials said.
The strongest quake to strike the Philippines this year was centered at sea at a depth of 20 miles, about 20 miles southwest of Maasim town in Sarangani province, according to the Philippine institute.
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said “the national government is moving and we will not leave Mindanao behind.”
Numerous aftershocks followed the 7:37 a.m. quake, which was also felt in Malaysia. Smaller tsunami waves were detected in Indonesia and Malaysia.
At least seven people were killed and about 130 others injured in General Santos, where a few small buildings partially collapsed and several structures, including a key access bridge, sustained dangerous cracks, Rod Sosmeña, regional director of the Office of Civil Defense.
Five other people were killed in the southern provinces of South Cotabato and Davao Occidental province, and on Balut Island, Sosmeña and another official, Ednar Dayanghirang,
Sosmeña authorities said they were checking reports of some students being trapped in a two-story school that collapsed in General Santos. No further details have been released on the incident as of yet.
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