felt in much of the country, buildings collapsed and authorities immediately issued tsunami warnings.
The epicentre was at sea, off the coast of Mindanao Island, near the town of General Santos. According to preliminary information, at least a dozen people were killed and many buildings were damaged or collapsed.
Tsunami threatens the region
In the wake of the earthquake, the tsunami warning system was immediately launched. Alerts were issued for the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, as well as for the coasts of Japan and other Pacific countries.
The Japanese weather agency issued a warning about possible tsunami waves of up to 1 meter in some regions. Residents of coastal areas were called to evacuate to higher areas.
For now there is no information about large tsunami waves that would reach land, but the situation is being monitored on an ongoing basis.
Panic and evacuation
Shocks caused panic among the residents. Many people ran out of homes and buildings into the streets. The authorities call for calmness and compliance with the emergency services' recommendations.
That's another strong one. earthquake in the region recently. The Philippines lies on the so-called Ring of Fire, one of the most seismicly active areas in the world.
Rescue services are on full alert and experts warn against possible aftershocks.
