Philippines: 7.8 magnitude earthquake, at least 31 dead

Earthquake in Philippines. At least 31people died and theover 130 were injured following the 7.8 magnitude earthquake that hit the southern Philippines, causing the collapse of several buildings on the day schools reopened.

Philippines, the earthquake off the coast of Mindanao

The quake occurred at 7.37 local time off the island of Mindanao, at a depth of 55 kilometers, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS). The main earthquake was followed by over ten aftershocks, including one with a magnitude of 6.5. Videos released on social media and verified by AFP show the moment a school building collapses in the province of Davao del Sur while students were outside during the quake. Another film shot in the province of General Santos documents the collapse of a multi-storey building which housed a fast food restaurant. Rescue operations are still underway and the authorities they fear that the death toll could worsen. In the municipality of Glan alone, in the province of Sarangani, 14 people died. According to local authorities, many victims were caused by a landslide that buried several homes immediately after the earthquake.

Difficult rescues

“Many lives have been lost,” Sarangani province’s disaster management officer said, explaining that infrastructure damage and power outages were making communications with some affected areas difficult. The authorities have ordered the evacuation of coastal areas after the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Hawaii had warned of the risk of a tsunami for the Philippines, Indonesia, Taiwan and Japan. In the afternoon the tsunami warnings issued by the Philippines and Indonesia were lifted.

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has suspended classes in the affected areas of Mindanao and called on people in coastal locations to immediately reach higher ground. “Your life is more important than anything you leave behind,” he said. In the coastal city of Kiamba, near the epicenter, around 50,000 people have left their homes and taken refuge inland. General Santos Airport has also been closed until further notice.

The Philippines is located in the so-called “Pacific Ring of Fire”, one of the areas with the greatest seismic activity on the planet, and are hit almost daily by earthquakes. In October 2025, another strong earthquake in the center of the country caused 76 victims.