Magnitude 7.8 Earthquake Strikes Mindanao, Philippines

A magnitude 7.8 earthquake occurred in the Mindanao region of the southern Philippines early Monday at 7:37 a.m. local time. The epicenter was located 24.7 kilometers (15.3 miles) west-southwest of Burias, with a depth of 35 kilometers (22 miles), according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center indicated that tsunami waves up to 3 meters (10 feet) could impact some coastal areas of the Philippines, while waves of up to 1 meter (3 feet) were possible along the coasts of Indonesia and Malaysia. Smaller tsunami waves may also affect Taiwan, Japan, Guam, Papua New Guinea, and various island nations in the western Pacific. Tremors from the earthquake were felt in Indonesia’s North Sulawesi and North Maluku provinces. The Philippines is known for its vulnerability to natural disasters, including earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, due to its position on the Pacific “Ring of Fire.”