Magnitude 7.8 Earthquake Strikes Southern Philippines, Killing at Least 19 as Buildings Collapse in Mindanao

General Santos City, Philippines – A powerful magnitude-7.8 earthquake shook the southern Philippines early Monday, collapsing buildings, triggering tsunami warnings, and killing at least 19 people as terrified residents fled their homes and students scrambled for safety during morning flag ceremonies.

"Many buildings were affected, but I cannot enumerate them now because we are busy with ongoing rescues," Robert Dagon of the General Santos City police told Agence France-Presse.

A spokesperson for the agency, Junie Castillo, told media that 19 people were feared dead, 134 injured and 12 missing, but these figures were still being verified. The office of civil defence warned people to avoid entering damaged homes or other infrastructure owing to the threat of aftershocks.

Jollibee Restaurant Collapse Captured on Video

Video verified by international news agencies shows the collapse of the upper floor of a Jollibee restaurant, a popular fast food chain, as well as the outer concrete walls of a commercial complex giving way in General Santos City, near the epicentre of the quake.

In Davao del Sur, part of a high school collapsed as students gathered outside, a video shared by the local radio network Bombo Radyo showed. Images of a convenience store in General Santos City showed its entrance destroyed with smashed glass and overturned benches strewn across the street outside.

Tsunami Warning Issued, Later Lifted

Shortly after the quake, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said waves up to 3 metres (10ft) were possible on some coasts of the Philippines and that waves up to 1 metre were possible on some coasts of Indonesia and Malaysia. In a later update, it declared the threat had largely passed.

Power outages were reported across affected areas, and residents were urged to go to higher ground as a precaution. No further information on casualties was immediately available from the office of civil defence as rescue operations continued through the day.

Epicentre and Depth

The epicentre was 8 miles (13km) south-west of General Santos City, Mindanao, with a depth of 6.2 miles, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology in its initial report. The quake struck at 7.37am local time. The US Geological Survey measured the magnitude at 7.8 with a depth of 34 miles.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said evacuation centres were ready and operational as government agencies continued to assess damage and clear routes needed for rescue operations. "The safety of our children comes first," Marcos Jr said as he ordered the suspension of schools in affected areas until further notice.

Students Scramble for Safety

The earthquake struck as public schools reopened for a new academic year. A video taken at Mahayhay elementary school in Davao showed panicked pupils scrambling for safety during the morning flag ceremony.

The Philippines Red Cross reported attending three high schools to support students traumatised by the quake. Counsellors were deployed to help children cope with the psychological impact of the disaster.

Residents also felt the earthquake tremors in Indonesia's North Sulawesi and North Maluku provinces, sending people into the streets across international borders.

Philippines: A Disaster-Prone Nation

The Philippines is one of the world's most disaster-prone countries and is often hit by earthquakes and volcanic eruptions because of its location on the Pacific "Ring of Fire", an arc of seismic faults around the ocean. The archipelago is also hit by about 20 typhoons and tropical storms a year.

Authorities continue to warn residents against entering damaged buildings as aftershocks remain a significant threat in the coming days. Rescue teams are working through debris to locate the missing and assist the injured.