Philippines Tsunami Update: President Marcos Orders Coastal Evacuations After Massive 7.8 Magnitude Earthquake Sparks 3-Foot Waves (Watch Video)
A powerful 7.8-magnitude earthquake centered off the coast of the southern Philippines triggered tsunami waves of up to three feet (one meter) on Monday morning, prompting President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to issue an urgent directive for coastal residents to move to higher ground immediately
A powerful 7.8-magnitude earthquake centered off the coast of the southern Philippines triggered tsunami waves of up to three feet (one meter) on Monday morning, prompting President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to issue an urgent directive for coastal residents to move to higher ground immediately. The major offshore earthquake struck at 7:37 a.m. local time near the province of Sarangani and General Santos City, a major commercial and tuna-processing hub of over 700,000 people. According to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs), the quake was caused by movement along the Cotabato Trench at a shallow depth of 10 kilometers.
"To our kababayans in the affected provinces, please heed the tsunami warning. Move to higher ground now. Do not wait," President Marcos said in an official statement. The president has ordered the suspension of school classes across all levels in the affected regions of Mindanao and mobilized disaster response teams. The Department of Social Welfare and Development has been instructed to ready evacuation centers and pre-position relief goods, while public works personnel assess critical infrastructure. Earthquake in Philippines: Massive 7.8 Magnitude Quake Strikes Near the Island of Mindanao; Tsunami Warning Issued for Several Countries.
Local police and regional media report that the violent shaking knocked out power and caused structural failures. In General Santos City, a small four-story commercial building partially collapsed, and social media footage verified by news agencies showed severe structural damage to local establishments, including a collapsed fast-food restaurant. At least one fatality and four injuries have been initially reported by General Santos City police, though emergency workers caution that search and rescue operations are still in their preliminary stages. A powerful 6.1-magnitude aftershock struck the same region approximately two hours later, further complicating emergency responses. Philippines Earthquake: Magnitude 7.8 Quake Strikes Near General Santos in Mindanao, Tsunami Warning Issued.
7.8-Magnitude Quake Triggers Tsunami Waves
News Alert ! A tsunami up to 3 feet hits some Philippine coasts as President Marcos urges people to go to higher ground, reports AP. pic.twitter.com/hZIkPTEHJV
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) June 8, 2026
VIDEO | Manila, Philippines: Building collapses as 7.8-magnitude quake strikes off southern Philippines.
(Source: Third Party)
(Full video available on PTI Videos - https://t.co/n147TvrpG7) pic.twitter.com/3AAVCOdB0B
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) June 8, 2026
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center noted that localized tsunami waves were detected along nearby coasts, prompting neighboring nations, including Indonesia and Malaysia, to issue elevated coastal alerts for their nearby territories. The Philippines sits along the Pacific "Ring of Fire," an arc of intense seismic and volcanic activity where the majority of the world's earthquakes occur. Local seismologists continue to monitor the area for major aftershocks and ocean wave fluctuations.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 08, 2026 09:11 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
