A powerful 7.5-magnitude earthquake struck offshore in the southern Philippines early Friday, prompting tsunami warnings across several countries and sending residents in coastal areas fleeing to higher ground.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said the quake occurred off the coast of Manay town in Davao Oriental, in the island region of Mindanao, at a depth of about 20 kilometers (12 miles). Authorities warned of aftershocks and potential damage in affected areas.
People gather in an open area following an earthquake of magnitude 7.5 that struck offshore in the southern Philippines, in Davao City, Mindanao, Philippines, October 10, 2025, in this screengrab obtained from a social media video. Francis Magbanua/via REUTERS.
The U.S. Tsunami Warning System reported that hazardous waves were possible within 300 kilometers (186 miles) of the epicenter, while the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) said waves one to three meters above normal tide levels could strike parts of the Philippines.
Phivolcs urged residents in central and southern coastal towns to immediately evacuate to higher ground or move inland, warning that the first waves could arrive quickly after the quake.
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said emergency teams were on alert and would begin rescue operations once conditions were deemed safe.
“We are working round the clock to ensure that help reaches everyone who needs it,” Marcos said in a statement.
Local officials reported panic and damage in parts of Davao Oriental.
“Some buildings were reported to have been damaged. It was very strong,” provincial governor Edwin Jubahib told local broadcaster DZMM.
A cabinet lies on the floor following an earthquake of magnitude 7.5 that struck offshore in the southern Philippines, in Davao City, Mindanao, Philippines, October 10, 2025 in this screen grab obtained from a social media video. Francis Magbanua/via REUTERS
The earthquake also triggered tsunami warnings in Indonesia’s northern Sulawesi and Papua regions, as well as in the Pacific island nation of Palau, where authorities said waves of up to one meter were possible.
The European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre measured the quake at a magnitude of 7.4 and a depth of 58 kilometers (36 miles).
Friday’s tremor came just two weeks after the deadliest earthquake in the Philippines in more than a decade, a 6.9-magnitude event that killed 72 people on the island of Cebu.
The Philippines sits on the Pacific “Ring of Fire”, a seismically active region where most of the world’s earthquakes occur, recording over 800 quakes each year.
