en.malanginspirasi.com – A devastating 7.8-magnitude earthquake has struck the southern Philippines, killing at least 15 people and injuring more than a hundred others as it rocked the island of Mindanao early Monday morning.
The tremor, which struck at 07:37 local time (23:37 GMT), was centered off the coast of General Santos City. According to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, the quake occurred at a shallow depth of 10km, a factor that often escalates structural damage on the surface.
General Santos, a bustling city of over 700,000 people known as the “Tuna Capital of the Philippines,” bore the brunt of the damage. Other affected areas include parts of Sarangani and nearby provinces in the Soccsksargen region.
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Police officials confirmed that at least 129 people are currently being treated for various injuries.
In the immediate aftermath of the quake, coastal communities across the region were put on high alert. Tsunami warnings were swiftly issued in the Philippines, Indonesia’s North Sulawesi, and Japan.
Although the majority of these warnings have now been stood down, panic remains high among local populations.
In a swift response to the disaster, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered a massive government mobilization. Mobilizing rescue and relief teams, the President issued an urgent plea to citizens in the impact zone: “Move to higher ground immediately.”
