Powerful 8.2-magnitude earthquake near Philippines triggers tsunami alerts

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Philippines: An 8.2 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Mindanao, in the southern Philippines, on Monday afternoon, sending tsunami warnings and alerts across a wide swathe of the western Pacific.

The undersea quake was strong enough to pose concerns about hazardous waves.

Monitoring agencies issued tsunami alerts for the surrounding coastal areas, stating waves could reach over a meter above normal tidal levels in some areas.

Emergency response teams in the Philippines urged people living in low-lying coastal areas to stay on alert. Emergency management personnel are standing by while officials assess damage.

The earthquake could be felt in some southern areas of the Philippines, but early reports did not indicate widespread structural damage.

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Officials continued to be on the ground gathering more information while working to assess the possible effects of the earthquake and changes to sea levels.

Warnings and advisories were sent out across the entire western Pacific, stating that officials warned of strong currents and unusual fluctuations.

The Philippines is part of the Ring of Fire, one of the world’s most seismically active areas. With that said, earthquakes and volcanic activity are not at all uncommon in the Philippines, and the archipelago is located on the border of several major tectonic plates.

Subsea earthquakes of the size and depth of the one that struck yesterday are known to create tsunamis, and officials continue to issue watches and warnings to coastal populations, warning residents away from shorelines and waterfront areas.

Experts stated that monitoring of the region will continue for the next few days, as aftershocks are not an uncommon part of major earthquake events.

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