On June 8, 2026, a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck the southern Philippines near General Santos City at approximately 7 :38 a.m. local time, catching students and teachers in the middle of Monday flag-raising ceremonies. According to the Office of Civil Defense director Ednar Dayanghirang, at least 4 people were killed and more than 200 injured across the region, while a tsunami with waves up to 1.4 meters (4.6 feet) prompted coastal evacuations. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered a rapid national response as Phivolcs recorded over 70 aftershocks and warned of more to come.

The Cotabato Trench's 10-km rupture and the 1.4-meter waves it unleashed

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) attributed the earthquake to movement along the Cotabato Trench at a depth of 10 kilometers (6.2 miles), centered about 13 kilometers southwest of General Santos City, a tuna-processing hub of over 700,000 residents. The shallow depth of the rupture intensified the shaking and contributed to the generation of a tsunami, with a 3-foot (0.9 meter) wave washing ashore along some coasts. The U.S. Tsunami Warning System initially issued a threat but later canceled it after waves subsided, though not before low-lying areas were evacuated. As the source article notes, this is the strongest earthquake to hit the Philippines in 2026.

Mahayahay Elementary School's duck-cover-hold drill in a 7.8 quake

Video footage from Mahayahay Elementary School in Malita, Davao Occidental, shows students and staff immediately dropping to the ground and taking cover as the ground shook. Remarkably,no injuries were reported at that school, and classes were later suspended pending safety assessments. However, across the region,more than 100 students at various schools sustained bruises or fainted in panic during similar flag-raising ceremonies, according to Dayanghirang. the widespread adherence to the "duck, cover, and hold" protocol likely prevented a far higher death toll, as a building collapse at Matanao National High School in Davao del Sur occurred while students were outside for the ceremony,resulting in no injuries there either.

President Marcos Jr.'s order: DSWD and OCD mobilize after 17 flight cancellations

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. directed the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) to conduct rapid damage assessments and provide aid to affected communities.. The international airport in General Santos was temporarily shut down, leading to the cancelation of 17 domestic flights, and a key access bridge was damaged. At least one small building collapsed in General Santos, and search and rescue operations are ongoing for partially collapsed structures. The U.S. Tsunami Warning System has offered assistance,according to the source article.

The 70 aftershocks and the unanswered question about building safety

Phivolcs recorded more than 70 aftershocks as of 9:30 a.m., with magnitudes ranging up to 5.5, and warned that more aftershocks are expected in the coming hours and days. Dr. Winchelle Ian Sevilla, Chief Science Research Specialist at DOST-PHIVOLCS, advised residents to stay away from damaged structures, as aftershocks could trigger further collapses. The biggest open question, however, is the structural integrity of buildings in General Santos and surrounding areas that were damaged but not fully inspected. The source article mentions that at least one partially collapsed structure is being inspected, but the full extent of building damage remains unverified.. Another unknown is whether any additional fatalities will surface as search operations continue—Reuters cited at least five possible deaths, higher than the officially confirmed four.