A magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck just before 7:40 a.m. on Monday, June 8, off Mindanao in the Philippines, with at least 32 people feared dead and dozens injured. Tsunami warnings were issued across multiple countries and briefly canceled after about six hour
A powerful jolt hit the southern Philippines just before 7:40 a.m. on Monday, June 8—quick enough to send coastal residents running for higher ground, and strong enough to reduce buildings to rubble.
Officials said at least 32 people are feared dead and dozens were injured after a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck off the southern Philippine island of Mindanao. Large aftershocks were also reported.
The quake set off tsunami warnings across several countries. The U.S. Embassy in the Philippines said the first tsunami waves were expected to arrive between 7:37 a.m. and 9:37 a.m. warning that the dangerous conditions “may continue for hours.” The embassy said a tsunami warning had been issued for nine areas. including Sarangani. Davao Occidental and Basila.
Residents in coastal areas were told to evacuate and move to higher ground. After about six hours, the tsunami warnings put into place were canceled in the southern Philippines, northern Indonesia, and the Malaysian state of Sabah on Borneo island.
The Philippines and Indonesia sit along the Pacific Ring of Fire, a volatile region of frequent seismic activity that stretches around the Pacific.
In the hours after the quake, Philippine officials sent military and disaster response teams to verify early reports of deaths and injuries, including 32 people killed and 134 injured across Mindanao. Most of the injuries, according to reporting, came from falling debris and landslides.
Photographs shared online captured collapsed structures and damaged streets, alongside the immediate uncertainty facing families trying to figure out whether the worst had already passed.
The quake landed as students returned to school after a break. Social media posts shared through the president’s office showed students trying to get to safety during flag-raising ceremonies Monday morning. Videos also showed vehicles stuck underneath damaged buildings and debris.
President Marcos Jr. ordered disaster response in Mindanao, including relief supplies and evacuation centers, and possible rescue operations. In a press release. he said the Department of Social Welfare and Development was on standby to assess damage to roads. bridges. and critical infrastructure and to clear routes needed for rescue and relief operations.
Marcos also suspended classes in all levels across affected areas in Mindanao until further notice.
“The safety of our children comes first,” he said.
“To our kababayans in the affected provinces, please heed the tsunami warning. Move to higher ground now. Do not wait. Your life is more important than anything left behind.”
This week’s quake comes roughly eight months after a 7.4 earthquake struck near the Philippines in October. followed by a second quake later the same day. Authorities said at least seven people were killed after that initial series. In that earlier event, the first quake hit offshore from the Davao Oriental province at 9:45 a.m. local time on Oct. 10, followed by a second quake around 7:12 p.m. that day.
For many communities in Mindanao. the sudden pairing of shaking and tsunami alerts turned Monday morning into a test of speed—getting people out of danger fast enough. before the next surge of destruction arrives. After the warnings were canceled about six hours later. attention shifted to damage assessment. search-and-rescue efforts. and whether more aftershocks would follow.
As teams moved out to verify injuries and deaths, the focus remained on the basic question that always follows a disaster of this scale: how much of the damage can be counted—and how many lives were saved in the minutes between the first warning and the first wave.
Philippines earthquake Mindanao tsunami warning Pacific Ring of Fire disaster response Ferdinand Marcos Jr. aftershocks