Manila, October 11: A powerful magnitude-7.4 earthquake struck off the southern Philippines on Friday, killing at least six people and triggering tsunami warnings that were later lifted, authorities said. The quake hit about 20 kilometers off Manay town in Davao Oriental province, Mindanao, at 9:43 a.m. local time (01:43 GMT), according to the U.S. Geological Survey, at a depth of 23 kilometers along the Philippine Trench.
Three miners died when a gold mining shaft collapsed west of Manay, while one was rescued alive and several others were injured, rescue official Kent Simeon told AFP. At least 50 students were treated in hospitals after fainting or sustaining minor injuries due to the shaking.
Buildings in Davao city, including an international airport, sustained cracks but operations continued without flight cancellations. Schools in nearby towns, including Gov. Generoso, were temporarily suspended. Residents reported severe shaking and power outages.
Tsunami warnings were issued for six eastern coastal provinces, with waves of up to three meters feared. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center later lifted the alert, saying there was no longer a threat, though minor sea fluctuations may continue. Small waves were also detected in North Sulawesi, Indonesia, ranging from 3.5 to 17 centimeters.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said damage assessments were underway and rescue and relief operations would be deployed when safe.
The earthquake comes 11 days after a magnitude-6.9 quake in Cebu province, which killed 75 people and injured over 1,200. The Philippines, located on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” is highly prone to earthquakes and volcanic activity, in addition to roughly 20 annual typhoons.
Separately, a magnitude-6.0 quake struck off Papua New Guinea in the Bismarck Sea, 414 kilometers northeast of Lae, with no reported damage.
