Deadly quake destroys buildings and triggers tsunami in southern Philippines

An offshore magnitude 7.8 earthquake has rocked the southern Philippines, killing at least 19 people, injuring more than 200 others and sending a 3ft tsunami into nearby coasts, officials said.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre said the threat of a tsunami had largely passed about five hours after the quake struck the southern region of Mindanao.

There have been no reports of damage or casualties from the tsunami, Teresito Bacolcol, the director of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, said.

“It’s a major earthquake and we’re expecting damage and we’ve already some damaged buildings based on videos we’ve seen,” Mr Bacolcol told The Associated Press.

The strongest quake to strike the Philippines this year was centred at sea at a depth of 20 miles, about 20 miles south-west of Maasim town in Sarangani province, according to the Philippine institute.

General Santos, a southern port city of more than 700,000 people that is a hub for the tuna export industry and other commerce, was among the hardest hit.

Philippine president Ferdinand Marcos Jr said “the national government is moving and we will not leave Mindanao behind”.

Numerous aftershocks followed the 7.37am quake (12.37am BST), which was also felt in Malaysia. Smaller tsunami waves were detected in Indonesia and Malaysia.

At least 19 people were killed, mostly in collapsed buildings and landslides, while thousands of villagers were displaced, Office of Civil Defence spokesperson Junie Castillo said.

Among the dead were seven people in General Santos, where a few small buildings, including a popular hamburger joint, collapsed or were severely damaged.

The other deaths were caused by falling debris, a damaged mosque and a landslide in the southern provinces of Sarangani, South Cotabato and Davao Occidental and on Balut Island, officials said.

Authorities are also checking reports of some pupils being trapped in a two-storey school that collapsed in General Santos. At least 12 people are said to be missing in General Santos.