Overview
- A magnitude 7.8 offshore quake struck near Mindanao on Monday, causing major structural damage concentrated in General Santos and the Soccsksargen region.
- Officials report a provisional toll of at least 15 dead with scores to hundreds injured as rescue teams search through collapsed buildings and damaged homes.
- The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued wide tsunami alerts for the Philippines and neighboring countries that were later scaled back after small waves of about 0.75 to 1.0 metre were recorded.
- Numerous aftershocks, including a USGS‑reported magnitude 6.1, have complicated search and rescue operations and led to temporary closures such as the regional airport and cancelled domestic flights.
- President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has urged evacuations and mobilised national emergency agencies, and officials warn that disruptions to transport and General Santos’s role as a trade hub could hamper relief and recovery efforts.