Magnitude 7.8 earthquake strikes southern Philippines

Tsunami warnings and alerts were issued in the Pacific after an earthquake of magnitude 7.8 struck off Mindanao in the southern Philippines on Monday, June 8, according to agencies in the United States and the Philippines.

Several large aftershocks, including three greater than magnitude 6.0, were also reported in the region. There were no immediate reports of major damage in either country.

An array of tsunami warnings and advisories was issued across the broader region, according to government officials in the U.S. and the Philippines. Tsunami warnings were issued for the Philippines and Indonesia, and the U.S. Tsunami Warning Center advised that tsunami waves could be roughly 3 to 9 feet in size.

A tsunami warning was in effect across several coastal provinces in Mindanao, President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. of the Philippines, posted on X. Marcos urged those in the affected regions to "please heed the tsunami warning," and move to higher ground.

After initially issuing a potential tsunami threat for the North American Pacific coast, the warning center confirmed there was no danger to the coasts of the U.S. or Canada following the massive earthquake.

A tsunami warning was issued for Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, but was later canceled, though the U.S. National Weather Service warned strong rip currents would be possible. The islands of Paulau, Yap, and Micronesia were advised to listen to the latest information from officials, the weather service said.

Damage reports

Benjie ​Ancheta, police chief of Alabel town in Sarangani in the Philippines, said ‌the ⁠police building had some cracks immediately after the quake, which occurred during their flag-raising ceremony, Reuters reported.

Ancheta said there were no immediate reports of casualties, but some people fainted following the strong ​tremor."This is ​the strongest earthquake ⁠we've experienced," Ancheta told Reuters by phone.

Witnesses in Indonesia's northern city of Manado said the ​quake felt very strong, Reuters reported.

Phivolcs, the Philippine agency, said the quake was magnitude 7.0 and warned of damage and tsunami waves above one yard, which could continue for several hours.

Marcos also said he ordered the suspension of all classes in all levels across the affected areas until further notice.

Initial reporting from the German Research Center for Geosciences pegged the earthquake at magnitude 8.2, and a depth of 6.2 miles.

The Philippines and Indonesia ​sit along the "Pacific Ring of Fire," a seismically active horseshoe-shaped region around the Pacific. It extends "from the southern tip of South America, along the west coast of North America, across the Bering Strait, down through Japan and into New Zealand," according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Subsequent information by the U.S. Geological Survey, after a review, estimated the quake at magnitude 7.8, at a depth of about 34 miles. The USGS said the initial earthquake was centered about 15 miles west-southwest of Burias in the Philippines.

Earthquake damage scale

The scale of earthquake damage, by magnitude, according to Michigan Technological University:

• Below 2.5: Generally not felt.
• 2.5 to 5.4: Minor or no damage.
• 5.5 to 6.0: Slight damage to buildings.
• 6.1 to 6.9: Serious damage.
• 7.0 to 7.9: Major earthquake. Serious damage.
• 8.0 or greater: Massive damage, can destroy communities.

Dinah Voyles Pulver, a national correspondent for USA TODAY, writes about violent weather, the environment, climate change and other news. Reach her at [email protected] or @dinahvp on Bluesky or X or dinahvp.77 on Signal.

This story was updated to add earthquake shake map.