Over 200 injured in Philippines after massive 7.4 earthquake in Mindanao region

A tsunami warning with “life-threatening waves” has been issued in the Philippines after an  earthquake of 7.4 magnitude struck Davao Oriental province in the Mindanao region.

According to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS), the earthquake occurred at 9:43 am local time on Friday at a depth of 10 kilometers, approximately 62 kilometers east of Manay.

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Following the quake, PHIVOLCS stated that the first tsunami waves are expected to arrive before 11:43 am local time and could persist for several hours.

“Based on the local tsunami scenario database, it is expected to experience wave heights of more than one meter above the normal tides and may be higher on enclosed bays and straits,” it said.

The agency has urged people in several provinces, including Eastern Samar, Southern Leyte, Davao Oriental, and others, to evacuate to higher ground or move farther inland for safety.

The US Tsunami Warning System has also issued a tsunami threat within 300 km (186 miles) of the earthquake’s epicenter.

However, the tsunami warning was later  lifted, with only mild waves hitting the coastal areas in Indonesia.

Meanwhile, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has stated that authorities are working tirelessly to ensure assistance reaches all affected areas. He emphasized that the situation is being assessed and that search and rescue operations will begin shortly.

Accorsing to the United Nations relief coordination office, OCHA, over 200 people were injured in Bogo, Medellin, and San Remigio. More than 1,11,000 people were affected, including around 20,000 displaced residents who have been sheltering in open areas or outside damaged homes.

Several videos capturing the moment the quake hit have surfaced on social media. In one such video, filmed in what appeared to be a crowded classroom, students are seen trying to take cover, using chairs as the building shakes.

Another video shows labourers atop an under-construction high-rise, holding on to iron rods erected for an RCC column as the building shook violently due to the tremors.