A powerful 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck off the southern Philippines on Monday, causing buildings to collapse and leading to at least eight confirmed deaths and several injuries, with widespread damage reported in General Santos City and Davao del Sur, including the collapse of a Jollibee restaurant and a mall, while frightened schoolchildren were seen being comforted by teachers during the violent shaking. The earthquake, originating from the Cotabato Trench at a depth of 10 kilometers, triggered a tsunami warning with waves already recorded in parts of Mindanao, and the potential for waves up to three meters in some areas, prompting President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to suspend classes in affected provinces and order evacuations for coastal communities in Pagadian City, while also advising against travel to coastal areas and suspending operations at General Santos City Airport for inspections.

A powerful 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck off the southern Philippines on Monday, causing buildings to collapse and leading to at least eight confirmed deaths and several injuries, with widespread damage reported in General Santos City and Davao del Sur, including the collapse of a Jollibee restaurant and a mall, while frightened schoolchildren were seen being comforted by teachers during the violent shaking. The earthquake, originating from the Cotabato Trench at a depth of 10 kilometers, triggered a tsunami warning with waves already recorded in parts of Mindanao, and the potential for waves up to three meters in some areas, prompting President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to suspend classes in affected provinces and order evacuations for coastal communities in Pagadian City, while also advising against travel to coastal areas and suspending operations at General Santos City Airport for inspections.

A powerful 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck off the southern Philippines on Monday, causing buildings to collapse and leading to at least eight confirmed deaths and several injuries, with widespread damage reported in General Santos City and Davao del Sur, including the collapse of a Jollibee restaurant and a mall, while frightened schoolchildren were seen being comforted by teachers during the violent shaking. The earthquake, originating from the Cotabato Trench at a depth of 10 kilometers, triggered a tsunami warning with waves already recorded in parts of Mindanao, and the potential for waves up to three meters in some areas, prompting President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to suspend classes in affected provinces and order evacuations for coastal communities in Pagadian City, while also advising against travel to coastal areas and suspending operations at General Santos City Airport for inspections.

Several buildings collapsed, and casualties are feared after a 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck off the southern tip of the Philippines early on Monday.

At least 15 people have been confirmed dead, and at least 129 others were injured in the quake, officials at the Philippine Office of Civil Defence told the BBC.

Video and images from the region show buildings collapsing to the ground. More than two dozen buildings, many of them commercial, were damaged in the quake.

In one video, a Jollibee, a popular fast food chain restaurant, collapses to the ground. A mall was also seen crumbling after the quake.

Social media images also showed teachers with scared students screaming in fear as the ground shook violently. The children of the Mahayahay Elementary School in Davao Occidental were outside participating in a first day of school ceremony when the quake took place. The school's staff and the children followed safety instructions by dropping to the ground and bracing themselves.

The teachers are seen hugging the children to keep the them calm.

There were also reports of damage to buildings in General Santos City and Davao del Sur.

Power outages have also been reported across the city.

The earthquake is one of the strongest to hit the Philippines this year.

It was centred 13 kilometres off the south-west coast of General Santos.

The quake was caused by a movement in the Cotabato Trench at a depth of 10 kilometres.

A Tsunami warning has also been issued. In six areas of Mindanao, tsunami waves have already been recorded according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre initially said that tsunami waves of up to three metres were possible on some coasts.

Waves of one meter were also possible on some coasts of Indonesia and Malaysia.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered the suspension of classes at all levels in the affected areas, while government agencies mobilised disaster response and relief operations.

The suspensions were ordered in the provinces of Davao Occidental, Davao Oriental and Davao del Norte.

Evacuations were also ordered for residents of the coastal barangays in Pagadian City. Residents were advised to move to higher grounds or designated evacuation areas following the tsunami warnings. Officials stressed that the preemptive evacuation applied strictly to coastal communities.

The advisory also prohibits travelling to beaches, shores and ports to take videos or photos.

“For everyone’s safety, do not gather near coastal areas,” the advisory by the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) read.

Residents in non-coastal areas were advised to remain vigilant and calm.

The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines also temporarily suspended operations at the General Santos City Airport while inspections are conducted following the earthquake and tsunami warning.

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