Police gather in front of a collapsed Jollibee fast food restaurant after an 7.8 magnitude earthquake in General Santos City on 8 Jun, 2026 (AFP/Getty)A powerful 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck off the southern Philippine island of Mindanao on Monday morning, triggering tsunami warnings across the region and prompting evacuations in coastal communities.The quake hit at 7.37am local time near General Santos at a depth of 10km, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology. Aftershocks of up to magnitude 6.5 were later recorded by the US Geological Survey.Tsunami waves of up to one metre (3ft) were monitored in parts of Sultan Kudarat and Sarangani provinces, while the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center warned that waves of up to three metres (9.8ft) were possible along some Philippine coastlines.Indonesia and Malaysia also issued tsunami alerts for coastal areas.President Ferdinand Marcos Jr urged residents in vulnerable coastal areas to move to higher ground, warning people not to wait. “Your life is more important than anything left behind. The national government is moving and we will not leave Mindanao behind,” he said.Local media reported debris falling from buildings in General Santos, while officials in nearby Sarangani province said power and telecommunications had been disrupted and evacuation efforts were under way in coastal communities.Buildings damaged and power outages reported after earthquakeBuildings were damaged and power and telecommunications were disrupted in parts of the southern Philippines after a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck near General Santos on Monday morning.Local radio stations reported debris falling from buildings in General Santos, while a four-storey office building housing a provincial radio branch partially collapsed. Staff members evacuated the building without reported injuries.In nearby Sarangani province, disaster officials said schools had been closed and infrastructure assessments were under way after power and communication lines went down in several areas.Benjie Ancheta, police chief of Alabel town, told Reuters the local police building had developed cracks during the quake. “This is the strongest earthquake we’ve experienced,” he said.Shahana Yasmin8 June 2026 05:10Philippines verifies reports of five quake deathsPhilippine authorities are verifying reports that at least five people were killed after a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck off the southern island of Mindanao on Monday morning.Agripino Dacera, General Santos’ disaster management chief, said that emergency officials were still confirming the reported deaths while teams assessed damage across the city, which lies near the quake’s epicentre.The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said the quake struck at 7.37am local time at a depth of 10km. Aftershocks continued to be felt across the region, with the US Geological Survey recording tremors of up to magnitude 6.5.Authorities said damage assessments were ongoing in affected areas, where buildings were damaged and power and communications outages were reported.Shahana Yasmin8 June 2026 04:50Tsunami warnings issued after powerful quakeTsunami warnings were issued across parts of the Philippines, Indonesia, and Malaysia after a powerful earthquake struck off Mindanao on Monday.The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center warned that waves of up to 9.8ft could hit some Philippine coastlines, while officials said waves of up to 3ft had already been recorded in Sultan Kudarat and Sarangani provinces.President Ferdinand Marcos Jr urged residents in vulnerable areas to move to higher ground immediately. “Please heed the tsunami warning. Move to higher ground now. Do not wait,” he said.Authorities in Sarangani province said evacuations were under way in coastal villages as emergency teams monitored sea conditions and assessed damage.Shahana Yasmin8 June 2026 04:28