Philippines earthquake latest: At least 15 dead and over 200 injured after 7.8-magnitude quake hits coastal city

The earthquake disrupted transport links across southern Mindanao, with authorities closing General Santos International Airport following reports of structural damage.

At least 17 domestic flights were cancelled after inspections began at the airport. Officials were also assessing roads, bridges and other critical infrastructure near the epicentre as aftershocks continued to shake the region.

The airport serves as a key gateway to southern Mindanao and the closure is expected to affect travel across the region.

The magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck off the southern Philippines on Monday morning is the strongest recorded in the country this year, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology.

Teresito Bacolcol, the institute’s director, said the quake struck at 7.37am local time and was centred at sea about 13km south-west of General Santos. The earthquake was caused by movement along the Cotabato Trench at a depth of 10km, he said.

“It’s a major earthquake and we’re expecting damages and we’ve already some damaged buildings based on videos we’ve seen,” Bacolcol told the Associated Press.

Authorities across Mindanao have been assessing damage, while tsunami warnings and evacuation orders remain in place in several coastal areas.

Philippine president Ferdinand Marcos Jr said the government was coordinating a disaster response after a powerful earthquake struck Mindanao and triggered tsunami warnings across the region.

“Please heed the tsunami warning. Move to higher ground now. Do not wait. Your life is more important than anything left behind,” Marcos told people in quake-hit provinces. “The national government is moving and we will not leave Mindanao behind.”

The quake, which struck near General Santos at 7.37am local time, was among the strongest recorded in the Philippines this year. Authorities said aftershocks continued to be felt across southern parts of the country.

Emergency officials were assessing reports of casualties and damage as evacuations continued in coastal communities affected by tsunami alerts.

At least 15 people have died and more than 200 others have been injured after a powerful earthquake and tsunami struck the southern Philippines.

Many of the injuries were reported during evacuations and panic that followed the quake, which hit shortly before the start of the school day.

Emergency responders remained deployed across affected provinces as officials continued to assess damage to buildings, transport links, and public infrastructure.

Buildings were damaged and power and telecommunications were disrupted in parts of the southern Philippines after a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck near General Santos on Monday morning.

Local radio stations reported debris falling from buildings in General Santos, while a four-storey office building housing a provincial radio branch partially collapsed. Staff members evacuated the building without reported injuries.

In nearby Sarangani province, disaster officials said schools had been closed and infrastructure assessments were under way after power and communication lines went down in several areas.

Benjie Ancheta, police chief of Alabel town, told Reuters the local police building had developed cracks during the quake. “This is the strongest earthquake we’ve experienced,” he said.

At least three people died and four were injured after a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck southern Philippines on Monday morning, police said.

Authorities did not immediately release details about the reported fatalities or the circumstances of the injuries as emergency teams continued to assess damage across affected areas near the quake’s epicentre in Mindanao.

The earthquake struck near General Santos at 7.37am local time and triggered tsunami warnings across parts of the Philippines, Indonesia, and Malaysia. Aftershocks continued to be felt across the region hours later.

Officials have reported damage to buildings and infrastructure in parts of Mindanao, while power and telecommunications outages were recorded in some coastal areas. Evacuations also remained under way in communities affected by tsunami alerts.

Philippine authorities are verifying reports that at least five people were killed after a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck off the southern island of Mindanao on Monday morning.

Agripino Dacera, General Santos’ disaster management chief, said that emergency officials were still confirming the reported deaths while teams assessed damage across the city, which lies near the quake’s epicentre.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said the quake struck at 7.37am local time at a depth of 10km. Aftershocks continued to be felt across the region, with the US Geological Survey recording tremors of up to magnitude 6.5.

Authorities said damage assessments were ongoing in affected areas, where buildings were damaged and power and communications outages were reported.

Tsunami warnings were issued across parts of the Philippines, Indonesia, and Malaysia after a powerful earthquake struck off Mindanao on Monday.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center warned that waves of up to 9.8ft could hit some Philippine coastlines, while officials said waves of up to 3ft had already been recorded in Sultan Kudarat and Sarangani provinces.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr urged residents in vulnerable areas to move to higher ground immediately. “Please heed the tsunami warning. Move to higher ground now. Do not wait,” he said.

Authorities in Sarangani province said evacuations were under way in coastal villages as emergency teams monitored sea conditions and assessed damage.