Philippine authorities have warned of a “devastating tsunami“and have urged the population of coastal areas to move inland, after a magnitude 7.6 earthquakefollowed by a strong aftershock, shook the island of Mindanao, in the south of the archipelago.
The earthquake occurred at a depth of 32 kilometers around 22:37 local time (14:37 GMT), about 21 km northeast of Hinatuan Municipalityin the province of Surigao del Sur, on the island of Mindanao, reported the United States Geological Survey (USGS).
“A devastating tsunami is expected with waves whose height poses a threat to life“, declared the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology on the social network “evacuate immediately” the place towards higher areas or the interior.
“Very strong” earthquake
Ship owners were ordered to secure your boats and move away from the coast. The tremor was followed by a strong aftershock of magnitude 6.4, the USGS added.
At the moment there have been no reports of casualties or damage, but Hinatuan police sergeant Joseph Lambo stressed that the earthquake was “very strong”. “In the police station, devices fell from the shelves and two televisions were broken. The motorcycles parked outside also fell,” Lambo told AFP.
“Right now we have no news of damage or casualties but people are evacuating due to the tsunami warning,” he added. Lambo added that 45,000 residents in the municipality were ordered to leave their homes. Many headed on foot or in vehicles to higher areas.
Evacuations
Dyl Constantino, 25, was on the island of Siargao, in northeastern Mindanao, when the shaking occurred. “It was the longest and strongest earthquake I have ever experienced, it probably lasted about four minutes,” he told AFP. “Here we are used to earthquakes but this one was different because the doors really shook and we all panicked,” he continued.
Anna Quinones, emergency situations official in Davao City, said they were monitoring the coast. “The tide is still high and We didn’t notice anything unusual.“he indicated.
Bethanie Valledor, 24, was sleeping in a hotel in the town of Bislig, about 20 km southwest of Hinatuan, when the tremor woke her up. “I felt like the room we were staying in was going to be destroyed,” she told AFP. “We are very close to the sea. The hotel owner asked us evacuate immediately. Honestly, she was screaming. “I panicked,” she detailed.
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The earthquake comes almost two weeks after another 6.7 magnitude quake hit Mindanao, causing at least nine deadshaking buildings and collapsing part of the roof of a shopping center.
Earthquakes are common in the Philippines, which is located along the “Ring of Fire”, an arc of intense seismic and volcanic activity which extends from Japan to Southeast Asia and the Pacific basin. Most are too weak and not felt, but strong, devastating earthquakes occur randomly and there is no technology available to predict when and where they will occur.