A powerful 7.6-magnitude earthquake slammed the southern Philippines on October 10, 2025. The quake struck just 10 km (6 miles) offshore Manay town in Davao Oriental province, Mindanao, shaking the region to its core.
Tsunami Fears Spark Coastal Evacuations
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) issued urgent warnings of possible widespread damage and strong aftershocks. Coastal residents in central and southern areas were told to evacuate immediately to higher ground or move inland amid fears of tsunami waves soaring over 1 metre above normal tide levels.
- Tsunami alerts stretched across the region:
- Up to 50 cm waves expected in Indonesia’s northern Sulawesi and Papua
- Hazardous waves within 300 km (186 miles) of the quake epicentre, says US Tsunami Warning System
- 1 to 3 metre waves forecast in parts of the Philippines
- Up to 1 metre waves in Indonesia and Palau, warns the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center
Panic and Damage as Aftershocks Hit
Davao Oriental Governor Edwin Jubahib described the quake as “very strong” and reported that many residents were panicking. Some buildings suffered damage, while local officials were reportedly hard to reach amid the chaos.
This event follows a deadly 6.9-magnitude offshore quake near Cebu just two weeks earlier, which claimed 72 lives—making it the deadliest Philippine earthquake in over a decade.
Philippines: Earthquake Hotspot on the Pacific Ring of Fire
Located on the volatile Pacific Ring of Fire, the Philippines suffers more than 800 earthquakes annually. European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre pegged the recent quake at 7.4 magnitude, occurring 58 km (36 miles) deep underground.
