MANILA, Philippines — A strong earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of seven.6 struck Saturday off the southern Philippine coast, prompting many villagers to flee their properties in panic round midnight after Philippine authorities issued a tsunami warning.
The quake struck at 10:37 p.m. at a depth of 32 kilometers (20 miles), in keeping with the U.S. Geological Survey. There have been no instant studies of main harm or casualties.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Heart initially mentioned that based mostly on the magnitude and placement, it anticipated tsunami waves to hit the southern Philippines and elements of Indonesia, Palau and Malaysia. However the middle later dropped its tsunami warning.
In Japan, authorities issued evacuation orders in numerous elements of Okinawa Prefecture, together with for all the coastal space, affecting hundreds of individuals.
Teresito Bacolcol, the pinnacle of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, instructed The Related Press his company suggested residents alongside the coast of southern Surigao del Sur and Davao Oriental provinces to right away evacuate to greater floor or transfer farther inland.
Homeowners of boats in harbors, estuaries or shallow coastal waters off the 2 provinces ought to safe their boats and transfer away from the waterfront, the quake company mentioned in its tsunami warning. Boats already at sea ought to keep offshore in deep waters till additional suggested, it mentioned.
Primarily based on the quake’s magnitude, Bacolcol mentioned a 1-meter (3.2-foot) tsunami might hit however the wave may very well be greater in enclosed coves, bays and straits.
Villagers had been fleeing their properties to security round midnight in Hinatuan city and outlying areas in Surigao del Sur province, in keeping with authorities and the federal government’s disaster-response company, which mentioned that it couldn’t instantly present particular particulars.
Photos posted on Hinatuan authorities’s Fb account present residents fleeing to greater floor on foot or aboard vehicles, vans, bikes and tricycle taxis at evening.
Greater than three hours after the quake hit, Bacolcol mentioned there was no report of a tsunami hitting the coast from his company’s area places of work however added authorities would proceed monitoring.
The Philippines, one of many world’s most disaster-prone international locations, is commonly hit by earthquakes and volcanic eruptions on account of its location on the Pacific “Ring of Fireplace,” an arc of seismic faults across the ocean. The archipelago can be lashed by about 20 typhoons and storms annually.
