Khaberni - A violent earthquake measuring 7.6 degrees on the Richter scale struck this Friday morning, the southern Philippine island of Mindanao, pushing authorities to issue warnings of a possible occurrence of devastating tsunami waves. In addition, the threat of severe tidal waves has expanded to include parts of Indonesia and Palau.
The Philippine Seismological Survey Authority reported that the earthquake's epicenter is located approximately 62 kilometers from the town of Manay, and at a depth of about 10 kilometers.
The authority noted that the earthquake could be followed by aftershocks and potential damages.
The authority urged residents of coastal areas in central and southern parts of the country to immediately evacuate to higher areas and warned of tidal waves that could exceed one meter above normal levels, which could be higher in bays and closed straits.
Meanwhile, the European Mediterranean Seismological Centre reported that the earthquake occurred at a depth of 58 kilometers, while the American Tsunami Warning System issued an alert regarding the potential occurrence of dangerous waves along 300 kilometers from the earthquake's center.
So far, there have been no reports confirming the occurrence of human or material losses, while local authorities continue monitoring the situation in anticipation of any developments.
On the first of October this year, the Philippines was struck by a violent earthquake measuring 6.9 degrees on the Richter scale, causing the death of about 69 people and injuring 147 others.
It is worth mentioning that earthquakes are common in the Philippines, which is located on the Pacific Ring of Fire, an arc of strong seismic activity that extends from Japan through Southeast Asia and across the Pacific basin.
