DAVAO CITY, Philippines – Tsunami warnings have been issued for parts of the coastal Philippines after a magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck off the southeastern coast Saturday night, according to the USGS.
The quake struck at 10:37 p.m. local time Saturday night, or 9:37 a.m. ET, near the province of Surigao del Sur in Mindanao, the second-largest island of the Philippines.
The USGS noted the quake occurred at a depth of 32.8 km, or just over 20 miles deep out at sea.
A Tsunami Warning was issued for the Philippines by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHILVOCS). They said the first tsunami waves would last until midnight local time, but that the waves may continue for hours.
Tsunami waves there may reach 3-9 feet above tide level along some coasts of the Philippines, according to the NOAA’s Pacific Tsunami Warning Center. Minor fluctuations in sea level may be observed by surrounding countries.
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PHILVOCS advised that people living in the provinces of Surigao Del Sur and Davao Oriental to immediately evacuate to higher ground or to move farther inland.
The tsunami threat extends beyond Mindanao. The NWS PTWC said hazardous tsunami waves caused by the earthquake are possible within 1,000 km, or about 620 miles, of the epicenter.
Those within this threatened region include the central and northern Philippines, along with Indonesia and Malaysia to the Philippines’ south.
Palau, located east of Mindanao, is also under the tsunami threat. The island nation is expected to see waves of 1-3 feet.
This is a breaking news situation. This story will be updated as more information becomes available.