7.8 Earthquake Devastates Southern Philippines, 32 Dead as Tsunami Waves Strike Coasts

A devastating magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck off the southern Philippines early Monday morning, killing at least 32 people and injuring over 200 , while also triggering tsunami warnings across several nations in the Asia Pacific region .

The quake hit about 20 kilometres off Sarangani province at 7:37 am local time , with strong tremors felt across Mindanao and as far as 420 kilometres away in the Indonesian city of Manado .

General Santos , a port city of over 700,000 people and a key hub for tuna exports , was among the hardest hit. Seven people were killed there after buildings collapsed , including a popular food outlet, while critical infrastructure suffered severe damage. A hospital was evacuated due to cracks on upper floors, and a building at Notre Dame of Dadiangas University collapsed, though it was unoccupied at the time. Parts of St. Elizabeth Hospital were also heavily damaged, forcing patients and medical staff to move outside for safety.

The deadliest single incident was a landslide in Sarangani province , triggered by the quake, which killed 13 villagers after striking homes in a mountainous town. Additional deaths were reported from falling debris, a damaged mosque, and landslides across South Cotabato, Davao Occidental, and Balut Island. More than 100 students were injured in panic during morning flag raising ceremonies at schools that had just reopened after summer vacation.

Tsunami activity was also recorded, with waves of about 1.4 metres measured in Kiamba in Sarangani province and 1 metre waves in Sultan Kudarat . Six stilt houses were damaged in a coastal village in Zamboanga del Sur. Outside the Philippines, an 83 centimetre wave was recorded near Indonesia’s Sulawesi island, while smaller waves reached Palau and parts of Japan including Chichijima and Kushimoto. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre later declared the threat had largely passed after about five hours.

The Philippines government deployed military and disaster response teams for search and rescue operations. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. urged residents in vulnerable coastal areas to move immediately to higher ground , assuring that national authorities would support affected regions in Mindanao . Strong aftershocks, including one measuring magnitude 6.5 , continued in the hours after the main quake.

Operations were also disrupted at General Santos International Airport , which was shut down with 17 domestic flights cancelled . The earthquake, linked to movement along the Cotabato Trench, is the strongest to hit the Philippines in 2026. The country lies on the Pacific Ring of Fire and frequently experiences major seismic activity alongside seasonal typhoons.