A powerful magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck just off the coast of the southern Philippines on Monday morning, triggering tsunami warnings.
PHILIPPINES – A powerful offshore magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck off the coast of the southern Philippines on Monday, triggering a 3-foot tsunami along nearby coasts.
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Authorities reported that the event killed at least 32 people and injured more than 200, as numerous buildings collapsed and sustained heavy damage, according to Reuters.
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Responders conduct a rescue operation at a collapsed building after a 7.8 magnitude earthquake in General Santos City on June 8, 2026.
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The earthquake in the southern Philippines killed at least 32 people, according to provincial authorities, after toppling buildings and sparking tsunami warnings across the region.
(Jam STA ROSA / AFP via Getty Images)) -
Search and rescue operations continue into the night at a partially collapsed shopping center, following a magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck the Southern Philippines, in General Santos city, Philippines, on June 8, 2026.
(Daniel Ceng/Anadolu via Getty Images) -
Numerous buildings and structures have been destroyed or collapsed after the powerful earthquake hit the Mindanao region in the Southern Philippines on the morning of June 8 local time, killing at least 32 people and injuring more than 200.
(Daniel Ceng/Anadolu via Getty Images) -
A partially collapsed building following a magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck the Southern Philippines, in General Santos city, Philippines, on June 8, 2026.
(Daniel Ceng/Anadolu via Getty Images) -
A 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck the southern Philippines on June 8, killing at least 32 people, collapsing buildings and sparking tsunami across the region.
(Ferdinandh Cabrera / AFP via Getty Images)
The government has mobilized emergency disaster response teams to affected areas while continuing to assess the full extent of damage, injuries and fatalities.
According to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, this was the strongest earthquake to hit the Philippines this year.
The Philippines is known to be a disaster-prone region, as it lies on the seismically active Pacific Ring of Fire — the massive 25,000-mile arc of volcanoes and tectonic plate boundaries where 90% of the world’s earthquakes occur.
A magnitude-7.8 earthquake struck Philippine’s south coast on Monday, June 8, toppling several buildings in the region. Residents were seen crouching on the street and holding onto structures to stabilize themselves.
Philippines earthquake hits during early morning hours
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) reported that the earthquake struck off the island of Mindanao, about 15 miles west-southwest of Burias, Philippines, at 6:37 p.m. EST (7:37 a.m. PHST).
Mindanao is the largest island in the southern Philippines and home to more than 25 million people.
The earthquake had a depth of about 22 miles, a relatively shallow depth.
According to the USGS, the quake reached a Mercalli intensity of VIII, meaning shaking was severe, felt by everyone in the area, and caused widespread alarm among residents.
This photo shows a damaged building after a magnitude 7.8 earthquake in General Santos City on June 8, 2026.
(Photo by Edwin Espejo / AFP via Getty Images / Getty Images)
The USGS reported aftershocks ranging in magnitude from 6.5 to 4.0. Philippine disaster officials said more than 150 aftershocks had been recorded through Monday evening.
The earthquake triggered a tsunami along the coast as well as a landslide in Glan, a municipality in the province of Sarangani, that killed 13 villagers, according to the Associated Press.
Video footage filmed by Jal Tan in Davao City showed buildings and telephone lines rattling during the quake. Residents were also seen crouching and holding onto structures as the disaster unfolded.
Children at the Deped Mahayahay Elementary School scream for help while dodging a collapsing shelter as a magnitude 7.8 earthquake breaks out in the Philippines. Teachers and children said they felt shaking during a flag ceremony outside.
Meanwhile, students and teachers who were on their first day back to school in the rural town of Malita in the Davao Occidental province were in panic as the ground rumbled beneath them.
Footage taken by the school shows the children screaming as they dodge a collapsing shelter.
Assessing damage and casualties across the region
After the earthquake rattled the country, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines suspended all operations at General Santos City Airport.
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Meanwhile, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. announced that classes would be suspended in affected areas and disaster response agencies would immediately assist impacted communities.
A magnitude 7.8 earthquake shook the Philippines on Monday, June 8, causing widespread damage to the island nation. Footage captured by Arnel Tagusi Mandula shows rubble and debris on Santol Street, in General Santos City.
Local governments, including the City of Davao, also encouraged private offices and institutions to close for the day.
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Authorities reported that the hardest-hit areas were General Santos City and Davao, where significant damage has been recorded.
Several multi-story buildings were reported to have collapsed in General Santos, while officials said numerous smaller structures throughout the region either collapsed or sustained severe damage.
Officials inspect a damaged building following a magnitude 7.8 earthquake in Mindanao, Philippines, on June 8, 2026.
(1002nd Infantry Bagwis Brigade/Anadolu via Getty Images / Getty Images)
At least 32 people have been killed, hundreds have been injured, and dozens remain missing. As search-and-rescue teams continue to look for residents trapped beneath collapsed buildings, officials warn that the death toll is likely to rise.
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According to the AP, emergency response teams scrambled to rescue people trapped inside a supermarket, warehouse and an elementary school.
Sirens rang after buildings shook in General Santos, Philippines, during a powerful 7.8 magnitude earthquake on Monday. At least 32 people were killed in the earthquake.
Tsunami alerts and waves reported
The earthquake was so powerful it triggered tsunami waves of up to 3 feet along nearby coasts.
According to the AP, at least one southern coastal village reported damage, while small waves were measured in Indonesia, Palau and even Japan.
A magnitude 7.8 earthquake shook the Philippines on Monday, June 8, causing widespread damage to the island nation. Footage shows frightened children and parents rushing out of Jose Maria College Foundation in Davao City following the tremor.
After the earthquake struck, nearby nations including Taiwan, Japan, Guam, Papua New Guinea and numerous islands were placed under tsunami advisories.
The National Tsunami Warning Center said that there was no tsunami danger along the North American coast, including the U.S. and Canada.
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The Hawaii Emergency Management Agency posted on social media saying there was no threat to the Hawaii coast following the earthquake.
