7.8-Magnitude Quake Triggers Tsunami Alert in Southern Philippines

An earthquake measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale hit about 8 miles southwest of General Santos City in Mindanao at 7:37 a.m. local time, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS). The quake, which occurred at a depth of roughly 6.2 miles, caused damage to a small commercial building in the city and knocked out power in the area.

PHIVOLCS warned residents in coastal zones to move to higher ground, and the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued an advisory that waves as high as 10 feet could affect some Philippine coasts, while heights of up to 3 feet were possible in parts of Indonesia and Malaysia. Smaller sea‑level changes were also expected in Taiwan, Japan, Guam, Papua New Guinea and other western Pacific islands, but no threat was identified for Hawaii.

"We advise people to evacuate to higher grounds or go further inland," said Teresito Bacolcol, head of PHIVOLCS.

DZRH radio reported that a four‑story office building housing its provincial branch partially collapsed, though staff members escaped without injury. It was unclear whether additional occupants were trapped. The tremor was felt in north‑central Indonesia, where minor tsunami waves of up to 7 inches were recorded along the coasts of North Sulawesi and North Maluku.

The United States Geological Survey noted aftershocks reaching magnitude 6.5 and measured the main shock at a depth of 34 miles, highlighting typical variations in early seismic data. The Philippines, situated on the Pacific Ring of Fire, frequently experiences earthquakes and volcanic activity.