Powerful magnitude 7.9 earthquake off southern Philippines: 37 dead, over 100 injured, tsunami waves up to 1.4 meters
A magnitude 6.7 aftershock, a damaged airport in General Santos, toppled cabinets and panic in Davao — nature reminded of its power, yet life is gradually returning to normal.
As reported by CCTV+, a powerful magnitude 7.9 earthquake struck off the coast of the southern Philippines on Monday morning. At least 37 people have died, and more than 100 are injured. Residents of affected areas describe violent shaking that forced them to flee their homes.
The epicenter was located near Mindanao Island. Several aftershocks were recorded, the strongest at magnitude 6.7. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology briefly issued a tsunami warning — waves reached up to 1.4 meters. The warning was later lifted on Monday.
In Davao City, a local resident Reynaldo Inso said: "This morning I really felt the earthquake. I was scared, and I went out of the house to call my son, daughter, and wife. Then a cabinet also tipped over." Despite the initial panic, by midday life in Davao had largely returned to normal — streets filled with people, cars back on the roads.
In General Santos City, located closer to the epicenter, authorities declared a state of emergency. The airport suffered heavy damage, with debris scattered across the terminal. Currently, only government, military, and humanitarian flights are allowed.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council reported serious damage to infrastructure, power outages, and communication disruptions. Large scale evacuations were carried out along the affected coastline. Rescue operations are ongoing.
The Philippines lies in the Pacific Ring of Fire — a zone of high seismic activity. Earthquakes above magnitude 7 occur here regularly. But every time the shaking forces people into the streets and cabinets fall, human fragility becomes evident. Yet equally evident is the capacity to recover. Hours after the disaster, the streets of Davao were already alive. Humanitarian flights are preparing to help. This, perhaps, is what remains when the ground stops trembling.
