A magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck offshore near General Santos City in the southern Philippines at 7:37 a.m. local time on Monday, shaking the region and prompting immediate tsunami alerts. The quake’s epicenter was about 13 km southwest of the city, at a shallow depth of 10 km, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS).. Authorities ordered coastal residents to evacuate, while power outages and damaged structures added to the emergency response.

General Santos suffers building collapses and power loss

The strongest quake in the Philippines this year caused a four‑story commercial building, home to a provincial DZRH radio station, to partially collapse. PHIVOLCS Director Teresito Bacolcol said videos showed debris falling onto parked tricycle taxis, but staff evacuated safely and no injuries were reported from that site. power supplies were disrupted across affected barangays, leaving thousands without electricity as crews scrambled to restore service.

Pacific Tsunami Warning Center predicts up to 3‑meter waves for Philippine coasts

The PTWC issued a warning that waves as high as 3 m (10 ft) could strike vulnerable Philippine shorelines.. Observations confirmed 1‑meter surges in Sultan Kudarat and Sarangani provinces, while Indonesia’s Sulawesi recorded an 83‑centimeter rise and Malaysia’s Sabah state received a specific alert. Smaller fluctuations were expected in Taiwan, Japan, Papua New Guinea and other western Pacific islands, though Guam’s adviisory was later lifted and Hawaii faced no threat.

Aftershocks ripple up to magnitude 6.5, USGS revises depth estimate

Following the main shock,tremors as strong as magnitude 6.5 continued to rattle the area, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The agency initially placed the quake’s focus at a deeper 55 km (34 mi), but PHIVOLCS later confirmed a shallower 10 km depth—a common discrepancy in the early stages of seismic reporting. These aftershocks keep rescue teams on high alert for further damage or secondary hazards.

President Marcos Jr. orders immediate coastal evacuations

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr . issued a directive for residents in at‑risk coastal zones to move to higher ground, emphasizing that lives outweigh possessions. He assured the public that the national government would not abandon the Mindanao region, mobilizing disaster‑response agencies to assess damage, conduct rescues if needed, and provide aid.

What remains unclear about casualties and secondary impacts?

While no deaths have been confirmed, officials have not ruled out injuries or people trapped in rubble, and the full extent of structural damage is still being surveyed. Additionally, the precise reach of tsunami waves beyond the observed 1‑meter surges in the Philippines, and whether they will cause further flooding inland, remains uncertain.