Authorities in the Philippines ordered coastal evacuations and issued tsunami alerts after a powerful offshore earthquake near Mindanao sent strong tremors across the region.
A damaged stretch of road is seen in South Cotabato Province after a 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck southern Philippines on June 8, 2026, prompting tsunami warnings in several coastal areas. (Xinhua/IANS)
A powerful earthquake struck off the southern Philippines on Monday morning, prompting tsunami warnings in parts of the country and triggering alerts in neighbouring Indonesia, even as authorities assessed the extent of damage.
According to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, the offshore quake measured 7.8 in magnitude and occurred at 7:37 am local time near Mindanao Island. The epicentre was located about 32 km southwest of Maasim town in Sarangani province at a depth of 33 km.
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Seismic activity is a recurring feature of life in the Philippines, which sits atop the Pacific “Ring of Fire”. The region witnesses frequent earthquakes, although stronger events such as Monday’s often lead authorities to issue tsunami and evacuation advisories.
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Following the earthquake, Philippine authorities issued a tsunami warning covering nine coastal provinces and urged residents in vulnerable areas to immediately move to higher ground or farther inland. Officials warned that the first waves could arrive within hours and continue through the morning.
Local media reports said tremors were felt across several neighbouring provinces. Some buildings reportedly sustained damage, while power outages were also reported in parts of the affected region.
There were no immediate reports of fatalities or large-scale destruction. However, authorities continued to monitor coastal communities closest to the epicentre, where shaking was reported to be particularly strong.
Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency also issued an early tsunami warning for coastal areas in the country’s northeast following the quake.
Meanwhile, India’s National Centre for Seismology (NCS), in a post on X, said a magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck at 5:07 am IST at a depth of 93 km.
“EQ of M: 7.7, On: 08/06/2026 05:07:45 IST, Lat: 5.635 N, Long: 125.147 E, Depth: 93 Km, Location: Philippines,” the agency said.
A second strong tremor followed minutes later. The NCS reported a magnitude 6.4 earthquake at 5:18 am IST, occurring at a depth of 79 km.
“EQ of M: 6.4, On: 08/06/2026 05:18:10 IST, Lat: 5.605 N, Long: 125.408 E, Depth: 79 Km, Location: Philippines,” the NCS added.
According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), earthquakes are classified by depth into shallow, intermediate and deep categories. Earthquakes occurring deeper than 70 km are generally referred to as deep-focus events.
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