Seven people killed after twin earthquakes off coast of Philippines

Two powerful offshore earthquakes struck off the coast of the southern Philippines on Friday, killing at least seven people, while towns near the epicentre faced structural damage and authorities warned of strong aftershocks.

The first quake of magnitude 7.4, in waters off the town of Manay in the province of Davao Oriental, triggered a tsunami alert for coasts within 186 miles (300km) of the epicentre, but the warnings for the Philippines and Indonesia were subsequently lifted.

 

A second earthquake of magnitude 6.8 struck the same area seven hours later, triggering another tsunami warning, with the country’s seismology agency, Phivolcs, warning of possible waves that could be more than 1 metre (3.2ft) higher than normal tides.

People living near coastal areas in the southern Philippines were “strongly advised to immediately evacuate” to higher ground, or move further inland, Phivolcs said.

The director of the agency, Teresito Bacolcol, described the twin earthquakes as a doublet – two distinct earthquakes that occurred along a massive trench off the country’s eastern seaboard.

There were initial reports of damage to homes, buildings and bridges, one official in Manay said, although the full extent of the damage in the Philippines was not immediately clear.

At least seven people were killed, a civil defence official, Ednar Dayanghirang, said in a briefing. The deaths were reported in towns and cities near the earthquake’s epicentre.

Footage shared on social media after the first quake showed students fleeing in panic from their classrooms, radio anchors leaving their seats mid-air and people crouching and bracing themselves on all fours as the ground shook violently. Motorcycles were knocked over by the force of the tremor.

The governor of Davao Oriental said people panicked when the first earthquake struck. “Some buildings were reported to have been damaged,” Edwin Jubahib told the broadcaster DZMM. “It was very strong.”

Evacuation orders were issued in affected areas, with schools suspending classes for the day.

Damage to infrastructure, including cracks in the structure of the Magsaysay Bridge in Butuan city, were reported. Ferdinand Marcos Jr, the Philippine president, said authorities were assessing the extent of the damage and search and rescue efforts being prepared. “We are working round the clock to ensure that help reaches everyone who needs it,” Marcos said.

The energy secretary, Sharon Garin, said officials were monitoring four electric companies in Mindanao after power supply in some areas tripped. It was not immediately clear whether the shutdowns were caused by the earthquake or were a precautionary measure.

Christine Sierte, a teacher in the town of Compostela, near Manay, told Agence France-Presse she was in an online meeting when the violent shaking started.

“It was very slow at first then it got stronger … That’s the longest time of my life. We weren’t able to walk out of the building immediately because the shaking was so strong,” she said. “The ceilings of some offices fell, but luckily no one was injured.” She said some of the school’s 1,000 students “suffered panic attacks and difficulty in breathing”.

Kath Cortez, a journalist based in Davao city, said the ground floor walls of her family’s house were showing small cracks. “I was surprised by the strength,” she said, adding members of her family ran out of the house.

The quakes hit just 10 days after a deadly 6.9-magnitude earthquake hit Bogo City in Cebu province, which killed 71 people. Aftershocks are still being felt in the area.

Neighbouring Indonesia also issued an earlier tsunami warning for its regions of North Sulawesi and Papua, according to its geophysics agency.

The Philippines sits on the Pacific ring of fire and experiences more than 800 quakes each year.

Cover photo:  Students are evacuated in Mindanao after the powerful earthquake. Photograph: Golden Cornucopia - Davao de Oro State College/AFP/Getty Images

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