A powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck off the southeastern coast of the Philippines, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). Local authorities have issued tsunami warnings, warning that the quake could generate dangerous sea waves.
According to the USGS, the earthquake occurred off the eastern part of Mindanao Island, about 123 kilometers from Davao City, the island’s capital, at a depth of 58.1 kilometers below the surface. So far, no major damage or casualties have been reported.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) cautioned that destructive tsunami waves capable of endangering lives could hit the coast. The agency urged residents in eastern and southern coastal areas to move to higher ground immediately.
Waves one to three meters high are expected along parts of the Philippine coastline, while coastal areas of Indonesia and Papua New Guinea could experience waves between 30 centimeters and one meter in height.
The Philippines lies within the Pacific “Ring of Fire”, a 40,000-kilometer-long belt of seismic fault lines encircling the Pacific Ocean, home to more than half of the world’s active volcanoes. As a result, the country frequently experiences strong earthquakes.
(Source: CNN)
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