7.8-magnitude quake off Mindanao prompts tsunami advisories for Japan, Philippines and Indonesia

Tokyo: Japan’s meteorological agency issued tsunami advisories for Pacific-facing coasts from Ibaraki Prefecture to Okinawa on Monday after a powerful earthquake struck the southern Philippines.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) reported a magnitude-7.8 tectonic quake at 7:37 a.m. local time, at a depth of 33 km and with an epicentre about 32 km southwest of Maasim town in Sarangani Province on Mindanao Island, Xinhua reported.

PHIVOLCS warned nine coastal provinces to expect tsunami waves and urged residents to evacuate to higher ground or move inland immediately. Officials said the first waves were forecast to arrive Monday morning and that tsunami activity could continue for hours.

Local media said the quake damaged some buildings and caused power outages, with strong tremors felt across neighbouring provinces. There were no immediate reports of major damage or fatalities in the Philippines or Indonesia, though areas closest to the epicentre experienced intense shaking.

Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency also issued an early tsunami bulletin for northeastern Indonesian coasts following the quake.

The Philippines, located along the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” frequently records seismic and volcanic activity due to active tectonic plate boundaries.

(Inputs from IANS)