Manila: A powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck off the eastern coast of Mindanao island in the southern Philippines on Friday morning (October 10), killing at least two people and leading to widespread evacuations after a tsunami warning was issued for coastal areas.
The United States Geological Survey reported that the earthquake struck at 9:43 am local time, about 20 kilometres east of Davao Oriental Province. The tremors were felt across Mindanao, including in Davao City, one of the country’s largest urban centres with over 1.8 million residents.
Casualties and Structural Damage Reported
Authorities confirmed two deaths in Davao Oriental Province. A 64-year-old woman was killed when a wall collapsed in Mati City, according to Ednar Dayanghirang, director of the Office of Civil Defence for the Davao region. Another person died after a house collapsed in the same province, confirmed Governor Nelson Dayanghirang in a television interview.
In the municipality of Lupon, a residential building collapsed, though no casualties were reported. A hospital in nearby Manay was evacuated after its foundation was found damaged. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said in a statement that search, rescue and relief operations would begin “as soon as it is safe to do so.”
The quake caused panic across several provinces. Residents described intense and prolonged shaking that sent people fleeing into open areas. Jenny Caña, a resident of Davao City, said the tremors made it difficult for her family to walk out of their home, and that cracks appeared in a nearby school wall. “Cars stopped in the middle of the road and electrical posts were swaying,” she said.
Several visuals of the quake surfaced on social media. Have a look:
Tsunami Warning and Precautionary Measures
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology issued a tsunami warning shortly after the quake, advising residents along Mindanao’s eastern coast to move to higher ground. The agency said the first waves could arrive within two hours and persist for several more.
Director Teresito Bacolcol said during a briefing that “nondestructive” tsunami waves about a foot high were recorded along the coast. The US Pacific Tsunami Warning Center confirmed that the threat had passed by noon.
Municipal governments in Davao, General Santos and Sultan Kudarat suspended work in government offices and classes in all schools as a precaution.
<!– Published on: Friday, October 10, 2025, 12:54 PM IST –>
