A powerful earthquake struck off the southern coast of Mindanao in the Philippines on Monday, prompting tsunami warnings and evacuation orders across several coastal provinces after authorities warned that waves could exceed one metre above normal tide levels.
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) initially recorded the offshore earthquake at magnitude 7.8, while the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) measured it at magnitude 7.0 and a depth of 10 kilometres. Seismic agencies often issue differing preliminary assessments following major earthquakes before data is refined. The quake struck near Sarangani in the southern Philippines, with international monitoring agencies issuing differing preliminary assessments as authorities worked to evaluate the potential tsunami threat.
