The magnitude was placed at 7.8 by global monitors, while domestic bulletins initially listed the tremor at 7.4. The quake struck at 7.37am local time, with its centre at sea near Sarangani province, south-west of General Santos, at a shallow depth that intensified the shaking across coastal and inland communities.
One-metre tsunami waves were recorded along parts of the southern coast, including areas facing the Celebes Sea. Alerts were issued for the Philippines and nearby parts of Indonesia and Malaysia, while advisories were monitored across the western Pacific. Residents in low-lying coastal villages were told to move inland or to higher ground and avoid returning to shore until authorities declared the threat had passed.
General Santos, a major coastal city and commercial hub in southern Mindanao, bore some of the heaviest damage. Buildings cracked or collapsed, power was cut in several districts and emergency teams worked through damaged streets to reach trapped residents. A fast-food outlet and commercial structures were among those reported damaged, while schools suspended classes after the tremor struck close to morning activities.
The death toll remained fluid as disaster officials checked reports from General Santos, South Cotabato, Sarangani, Sultan Kudarat and Davao Occidental. More than 200 people were reported injured, many by falling debris, broken glass or panic-related incidents during evacuations. Several deaths were linked to structural failures, while rescue teams checked reports of missing people in damaged buildings and island communities.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered disaster agencies, the military and local governments to mobilise food, tents, medical supplies and rescue personnel. Classes were suspended in affected areas, while public buildings, bridges, roads, ports and airports were placed under structural assessment. General Santos International Airport temporarily halted operations as officials inspected runways and terminal facilities, disrupting domestic flights.
The quake was felt across a wide stretch of Mindanao and as far as northern Sulawesi in Indonesia. Strong aftershocks, including one measured at magnitude 6.7, added to public anxiety and forced many residents to remain outside homes and offices. Authorities warned that aftershocks could continue and advised people not to enter buildings with visible cracks, tilted walls or damaged columns.
Tsunami warnings were lifted or downgraded in several areas after sea-level readings showed waves below the most severe forecasts. Even so, coastal authorities kept evacuation centres open as a precaution, with families from fishing villages and shorefront settlements staying away from beaches and ports. No major tsunami damage was reported outside the closest coastal zones, though boats, seawalls and small coastal facilities were being checked.
Mindanao’s southern coast is among the Philippines’ most exposed seismic zones because it lies near active offshore trenches and fault systems. The country sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire, where tectonic plates meet and generate frequent earthquakes, volcanic activity and tsunamis. Shallow offshore quakes are especially dangerous because they can produce intense local shaking and leave little time for coastal evacuations.
The disaster has renewed scrutiny of building safety in fast-growing provincial cities, where commercial expansion, school construction and dense settlements have increased exposure to seismic hazards. Engineers and local officials were expected to inspect hospitals, schools, markets, municipal offices and older concrete structures before allowing normal operations to resume.
Emergency workers also faced the challenge of reaching scattered coastal and island communities where communications were disrupted. Power failures slowed damage reporting, while blocked roads and damaged public facilities complicated relief deliveries. Medical teams prioritised trauma cases, while local governments prepared evacuation centres for families unable to return home.
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