Powerful 7.4-Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Southern Philippines, One Dead as Tsunami Alerts Lifted

One Fatality, Minor Damage Reported

Police confirmed that one person died when a wall collapsed in Mati City, the largest urban centre near the quake’s epicentre. Authorities reported scattered minor damage across parts of Davao Oriental and Compostela Valley provinces.

Power and communication lines were disrupted in several communities, making assessments difficult, said police officer Dianne Lacorda. The Davao Oriental provincial government suspended classes “until further notice” and sent non-essential workers home.

Initial Tsunami Warning Lifted

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) issued a tsunami warning shortly after the quake, urging coastal residents along the eastern seaboard to move inland as waves of up to three metres (10 feet) were anticipated.

However, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre later lifted alerts for the Philippines, Palau, and Indonesia, saying there was “no longer a tsunami threat from this earthquake.”

Witnesses Describe Chaos and Panic

In Tagum City, northwest of Manay, a local official said a government event descended into chaos when the tremors began.

“People panicked, they screamed and ran,” said Wes Caasi, describing scenes of city workers scrambling down a large metal Christmas tree they had been decorating.

In Compostela, teacher Christine Sierte said she was in a virtual meeting when the violent shaking started.

“It was very slow at first, then it got stronger… that’s the longest time of my life,” she told AFP. “Some ceilings collapsed, but no one was hurt. Many students suffered panic attacks.”

In Davao City, journalist Kath Cortez said cracks appeared in her home’s walls. “I was surprised by the strength,” she said. “Everyone ran outside immediately.”

Regional Tremors Felt

Around the same time, the USGS also reported a magnitude 6.2 quake southeast of Manus Island, Papua New Guinea. Another tremor earlier in the week near the city of Lae caused no major damage.

The latest Philippine quake comes just 11 days after a deadly 6.9-magnitude earthquake in Cebu that killed 74 people and damaged or destroyed more than 72,000 homes.

Frequent Seismic Activity

The Philippines lies along the Pacific “Ring of Fire”, a vast zone of seismic and volcanic activity that stretches from Japan through Southeast Asia and across the Pacific Ocean — making earthquakes a near-daily occurrence in the archipelago.