Major quake off Philippines kills at least 31, triggers tsunami warnings

Buildings including a Jolibee restaurant collapsed following a 7.8-magnitude earthquake that hit off Mindanao island. © Edwin Espejo, AFP

A powerful 7.8-magnitude earthquake rocked the southern Philippines on Monday, killing at least 31 people, toppling buildings and prompting tsunami warnings across parts of Southeast Asia and the Pacific, as authorities ordered coastal residents to evacuate and rescuers searched for victims amid strong aftershocks.

A 7.8-magnitude earthquake in the southern Philippines on Monday killed at least 31 people, according to provincial authorities, after toppling buildings and sparking tsunami warnings across the region.