Philippines lifts tsunami alert after deadly 7.8 earthquake

· DW

The Philippines and Indonesia both issued tsunami warnings after a powerful 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck off Mindanao. At least 15 people were killed and more than 200 injured.

A 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Mindanao in the southern Philippines on Monday morning, killing at least 15 people and injuring more than 200 others.

The seismological agencies of the Philippines and Indonesia issued tsunami warnings, advising people along the coast to evacuate to higher ground or travel inland. Both countries lifted their alerts later on Monday.

Tsunami damage was reported in at least one village after the earthquake sent 1-meter (3-foot) waves into nearby coasts.

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ‌said authorities were moving fast to coordinate disaster response.

"The national government is moving and we will not ‌leave Mindanao ​behind," Marcos said in a statement.

Residents in coastal areas of Indonesia (pictured) and the Philippines have been urged to evacuate to higher groundImage: Stenly Pontolawokang/REUTERS

The Philippines lies on the edge of the Pacific's so-called 'Ring of Fire' — an arc of seismic faults that makes the country unusually prone to volcanos, earthquakes and tsunamis.

At least 15 killed, over 200 injured

According to officials from the disaster agency, the death toll from the earthquake has reached at least 15 in the Philippines.

Rodrigo Sosmena, the regional civil defense director, said that 12 people were killed and 129 were injured in the Soccksargen region of Mindanao Island.

The province of Davao Occidental reported three additional fatalities.

General Santos, a port city in the south of Mindanao with a population of over 700,000 and a hub for tuna exports and other commerce, was among the areas hit hardest by the earthquake.

The earthquake damaged buildings in the south of the PhilippinesImage: Ernesto Torres Jr/AP Photo/picture alliance

"Many buildings were affected, but I cannot enumerate them now because we are busy with ongoing rescues," Master Sergeant Robert Dagon of the General Santos City police told the AFP news agency.

"A number of buildings collapsed. Some houses also collapsed."

The quake struck 24.7 kilometers (15.3 miles) west-southwest of the Philippine town of Burias at a depth of 35 kilometers (22 miles), according to the US Geological Survey.

Edited by: Rana Taha