Terrifying footage has emerged of the moment an enormous 8.0 magnitude earthquake struck the Philippines, with buildings seen collapsing as terrified locals run for their lives.
The undersea quake hit near Mindanao at 7.37am, with tsunami warnings quickly issued. Initially they extended to Japan, Australia and Hawaii.
Some of those threats, particularly for waves hitting Australia and Hawaii, appear to have passed but 3.5m waves in the Philippines are still a concern.
Residents in Mindanao were told to move to higher ground after the quake and instructed to wait for tsunami warning updates.
Master Sergeant Robert Dagon from the General Santos City police department confirmed at least one person had died from the quake, with more people injured. However, that number could soar.
“Many buildings were affected, but I cannot enumerate them now because we are busy with ongoing rescues,” he told the Agence France-Presse news agency.
In General Santos City, multiple buildings fell to the ground as the 8.0 magnitude quake rocked the region.
Watch the footage below
At the General Santos International Airport, parts of the ceiling collapsed.
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.
Mr Ancheta said there were no immediate reports of casualties, but some people had fainted following the strong tremor.
“This is the strongest earthquake we’ve experienced,” Mr Ancheta told Reuters by phone.
The quake struck as children were returning for their first day of school after a break.
One flag-raising ceremony dissolved into chaos as terrified children stayed close to the ground when the quake brought a nearby structure down.
Teachers have been praised for their quick response to the natural disaster and for keeping children safe.
Coastal areas, including Sarangani, Davao Occidental, Tawi-tawi, Sulu, Basila, Zamboanga Del Sur, Zamboanga Sibugay, Sultan Kudarat, and South Cotabato in the Philippines, currently remain under tsunami warning as authorities monitor for a potential surge.
Witnesses in Indonesia’s northern city of Manado said the quake felt very strong.
The Philippines and Indonesia are tectonically complex parts of the “Pacific Ring of Fire”, a seismically active belt stretching from South America to the Russian Far East.
- with Reuters
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