At least 19 people have been killed and more than 130 injured after a powerful 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Mindanao in the southern Philippines, authorities said.
The earthquake hit at 7:37 a.m. local time on Monday, sending residents rushing from homes, schools and businesses.
Tsunami warnings were briefly issued across parts of the Pacific, including Japan, Indonesia and Australia, before several were later lifted.
Videos shared online captured scenes of panic and destruction. In one of the most dramatic clips, a Jollibee restaurant collapsed into a pile of rubble as the ground shook violently.
Local officials reported casualties across South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani and General Santos City, though national disaster authorities are still verifying the figures.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said government agencies had been mobilized to respond to the disaster and pledged support for affected communities.
“The national government is moving and we will not leave Mindanao behind,” he said in a statement.
Classes were suspended in several areas impacted by the quake, which struck on the first day of the new school year.
Footage from a primary school in Davao Occidental showed frightened students crouching in an open area as buildings shook around them.
A nearby shelter collapsed during the tremor, though school officials said no injuries were reported.
Seismologists recorded more than 130 aftershocks following the initial quake, including several strong tremors that continued to rattle the region throughout the day.
The strongest shaking was felt across parts of Mindanao, particularly around General Santos City, located near the quake’s epicentre.
In Sarangani province, electricity and communication services were temporarily disrupted before being restored hours later.
The Philippines lies along the Pacific Ring of Fire, one of the world’s most active seismic zones, making earthquakes a frequent occurrence. While many are relatively minor, powerful quakes have repeatedly caused significant loss of life and damage. Last year, a 6.9-magnitude earthquake in the central Visayas region killed more than 70 people.
The quake also prompted tsunami alerts across the region. Japanese authorities initially warned that waves of up to one metre could reach coastal areas. Smaller waves were later recorded in Okinawa and the Ogasawara Islands, while wave activity was also detected along the coastlines of Indonesia, Palau and the Philippines.
Emergency crews continue to assess the damage as rescue and recovery efforts remain underway across affected communities.
