At least one person has died in the Philippines after a 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck the southern part of the archipelago, where authorities are forcibly evacuating coastal residents after issuing a tsunami warning.
“We have received initial information of one death due to falling debris” in Davao region in southeastern Mindanao island, Office of Civil Defense (OCD) Assistant Secretary Bernardo Rafaelito Alejandro said in a statement.
Philippines earthquake of 7.4
Mapua School in Davao City, Philippines, during the magnitude 7.4 earthquake that struck earlier 👀👀
📹John Louie Bagot pic.twitter.com/ofpBujppbN
– F. J.. (@fjsv1974) October 10, 2025
The quake also caused material damage to buildings in the region, in addition to causing power outages, the cancellation of classes and work in government offices, except for emergency services, according to authorities.
Alejandro also pointed out that the tsunami alert is still active in several provinces of the archipelago, among the forced evacuations ordered by the government in areas at risk.
However, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center has already lifted the tsunami warning, which also affected Indonesia and Palau.
Ednar Dayanghirang, the regional director of the Civil Defense Office for the Davao region, told Philippine radio DZMM that the quake caused material damage.
“I received partial reports in Davao Oriental, Manay City, that there are damaged buildings…structures, damaged churches,” he said.
The tremor occurred at a depth of 58 kilometers below the seabed and 20 kilometers east of the town of Santiago at around 9:40 local time (1:40 GMT), according to the U.S. Geological Survey, which records seismic activity around the world.
The quake comes about 10 days after another 6.9-magnitude quake struck Cebu Island in the central Philippines on the night of September 30, leaving 74 people dead.
The Philippines sits on the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, an area of high seismic and volcanic activity in which some 7,000 earthquakes, mostly moderate, are recorded each year.
With information from EFE
