Jamaine Punzalan

This handout photo from Golden Cornucopia - Davao de Oro State College taken and received on October 10, 2025 shows students gathering outside the school buildings after an earthquake in Davao de Oro, Mindanao. A powerful magnitude-7.4 earthquake struck off the southern Philippines on October 10, triggering warnings of a "destructive tsunami" on the country's Pacific coast within hours. Handout/Golden Cornucopia - Davao de Oro State College/AFP

Article (news)

Jauhn Etienne Villaruel

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1760067737969cropped-20251010031044_09867f961f1e9af0b95b50ec51a3529f94a5f1d826162209d917425636b67f14 (1).jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">A powerful quake struck the waters off Davao Oriental on Friday morning, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) said.</span></span></span></div><p>MANILA<strong> (3rd UPDATE)</strong> — A powerful quake struck the waters off Davao Oriental on Friday morning, leaving at least two people dead and triggering a tsunami alert that was later lifted, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) said.</p><p>PHIVOLCS said the magnitude 7.4 quake hit some 44 kilometers northeast of Manay town. The government seismology office earlier put the magnitude at 7.6, but subsequently lowered the figure to 7.4.</p><p>Davao Oriental governor Nelson Dayanghirang told ANC&#x27;s Dateline that 2 individuals have been confirmed dead in their province following the quake.</p><p>&quot;So far meron na po tayong recorded na dalawang casualty, and na-evacuate na natin yung mga pasyente sa ospital natin, provincial and district hospital,&quot; Dayanghirang said.</p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1760069910354AFP__20251010__78B388M__v2__MidRes__PhilippinesEarthquakeTsunami.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">This handout photo from Golden Cornucopia - Davao de Oro State College taken and received on October 10, 2025 shows students gathering outside the school buildings after an earthquake in Davao de Oro, Mindanao. Handout/Golden Cornucopia - Davao de Oro State College/AFP</span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>TSUNAMI WARNING, AFTERSHOCKS</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered evacuations of coastal communities on the eastern seaboard after the PHIVOLCS warned of one-meter tsunami waves between 9:43 a.m. and 11:43 a.m.</p><p>But only a 32-centimetre (1-foot) wave was observed and the alert was later lifted.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/world/2024/4/4/taiwan-quake-everything-you-need-to-know-about-earthquakes-952">Everything you need to know about earthquakes</a></div><p>The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center also lifted its alert for the Philippines, Palau and Indonesia at around noon, saying &quot;there is no longer a tsunami threat from this earthquake&quot;.</p><p>“These areas are now put on stand down mode,” Office of Civil Defense (OCD) Deputy Administrator Rafaelito Alejandro IV said. </p><p>“We remind the public to stay on alert at kalmado lang. Kami ay tuluy-tuloy ang aming trabaho to assess the situation. We assure the public that all units on the ground are doing their rapid assessment of the damage and overall impact of the earthquake,” he said.</p><div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FabscbnNEWS%2Fposts%2Fpfbid02pz6jdW5UAmJJRN4cLjX5aFsZbgLpEsHrbXWv6V532VA2dP9wsudrHJgUKNvCyxLYl&amp;show_text=true&amp;width=500" width="500" height="712" style="border:none;overflow:hidden;--darkreader-inline-border-top:none;--darkreader-inline-border-right:none;--darkreader-inline-border-bottom:none;--darkreader-inline-border-left:none" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" data-darkreader-inline-border-top="" data-darkreader-inline-border-right="" data-darkreader-inline-border-bottom="" data-darkreader-inline-border-left=""></iframe></div><p>PHIVOLCS has recorded at least 179 aftershocks, 10 of which were felt. The strongest aftershock so far had a magnitude of 5.8. </p><p>&quot;Talagang nag-panic ang mga tao dito sa capitol at mga employees,&quot; Davao Del Norte Governor Edwin Jubahib said. </p><p>&quot;At may mga crack na na-report sa atin at may mga gusali ding may damage na na-report,&quot; he told DZMM. </p><div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=476&amp;href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Freel%2F799671972975578%2F&amp;show_text=true&amp;width=268&amp;t=0" width="268" height="591" style="border:none;overflow:hidden;--darkreader-inline-border-top:none;--darkreader-inline-border-right:none;--darkreader-inline-border-bottom:none;--darkreader-inline-border-left:none" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" data-darkreader-inline-border-top="" data-darkreader-inline-border-right="" data-darkreader-inline-border-bottom="" data-darkreader-inline-border-left=""></iframe></div><div><br/></div><div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=476&amp;href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Freel%2F1306067220802217%2F&amp;show_text=true&amp;width=267&amp;t=0" width="267" height="591" style="border:none;overflow:hidden;--darkreader-inline-border-top:none;--darkreader-inline-border-right:none;--darkreader-inline-border-bottom:none;--darkreader-inline-border-left:none" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" data-darkreader-inline-border-top="" data-darkreader-inline-border-right="" data-darkreader-inline-border-bottom="" data-darkreader-inline-border-left=""></iframe></div><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>&#x27;PEOPLE PANICKED, SCREAMED, AND RAN&#x27;</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>In Manay, Davao Oriental, people ran out of a gymnasium when the quake struck during the Kanduli Festival celebration. </p><p>Two teachers fainted out of fright and were rushed to the hospital. Other teachers were seen carrying chairs over their heads as protection from possible debris.  </p><p>Office of Civil Defense-Region 11 director Ednar Dayanghirang said that based on partial reports he received, several structures were damaged in Manay town following the quake.</p><p>“I received partial report sa Davao Oriental sa bayan ng Manay that there are buildings na na-damage… structures, mga simbahan daw nasira,” Dayanghirang told DZMM.</p><p>He added that his own house in Manay reportedly showed cracks after the quake.</p><p>Wes Caasi, a local official in Tagum city, northwest of Manay, told AFP that a government event at the city hall was thrown into chaos as &quot;the people panicked, they screamed and ran&quot;.</p><p>Confirming videos that circulated on social media, Caasi said he saw city workers scrambling down a metal Christmas tree they were decorating when the quake struck.</p><p>Other witnesses said they saw students and workers pouring out of schools, office buildings and shopping malls.</p><p>Video clips verified by AFP also showed people holding on to flower boxes or to each other while crouching low to avoid falling as the open ground rocked violently.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>&#x27;SHAKING WAS SO STRONG&#x27;</strong></div><div><strong> </strong></div><p>Christine Sierte, a teacher in the town of Compostela near Manay, told AFP she was in the middle of an online meeting when the violent shaking started.</p><p>&quot;It was very slow at first, then it got stronger.... That&#x27;s the longest time of my life. We weren&#x27;t able to walk out of the building immediately because the shaking was so strong,&quot; she said.</p><p>&quot;The ceilings of some offices fell, but luckily no one was injured,&quot; she said, adding that some of the school&#x27;s approximately 1,000 students &quot;suffered panic attacks and difficulty in breathing&quot;.</p><p>Kath Cortez, a local journalist based in Davao city to the west of Manay, told AFP that small cracks had appeared in the ground floor walls of her family&#x27;s home.</p><p>&quot;I was surprised by the strength&quot; of the quake, she said, adding that members of her family ran out of the house.</p><p>In General Santos City, hanging lamps and electric posts were seen swaying due to the quake. </p><div><br/></div><div><strong>DAMAGE</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>Initial reports from Police Regional Offices in Caraga and Davao showed infrastructure and utility disruptions.</p><p>“Para po sa road conditions nila sa Caraga, meron po isang daan doon, ito po ‘yung sa Magsaysay Bridge [sa Butuan City] na kung saan ito po ay impassable sa ngayon. At meron din po silang mga incident po ngayon na na-report about sa power interruptions,” Tuaño said.</p><p>Magsaysay bridge  was reopened to traffic around 1 p.m. after the District Engineering Office conducted inspections. </p><p>In Region 11 (Davao Region), the Panabo City Police Station in Davao del Norte sustained damage after its water tank collapsed. The perimeter fence of the Talaingod Municipal Police Station also suffered damage.</p><div><br/></div><div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=476&amp;href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Freel%2F1807934746495001%2F&amp;show_text=true&amp;width=268&amp;t=0" width="268" height="591" style="border:none;overflow:hidden;--darkreader-inline-border-top:none;--darkreader-inline-border-right:none;--darkreader-inline-border-bottom:none;--darkreader-inline-border-left:none" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" data-darkreader-inline-border-top="" data-darkreader-inline-border-right="" data-darkreader-inline-border-bottom="" data-darkreader-inline-border-left=""></iframe></div><div><br/></div><p>Dianne Lacorda, a police officer in Davao Oriental province, told AFP that power and communication lines had been severed and authorities were struggling to assess the damage in some areas. </p><p>Classes were suspended in several areas due to the quake. </p><div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FabscbnNEWS%2Fposts%2Fpfbid02m1fbusb1JvXzdGK3WJRkR5RJd5KZnxceVHkG9S1xgHWBVVgfw1vQdqkUKCkEB636l&amp;show_text=true&amp;width=500" width="500" height="693" style="border:none;overflow:hidden;--darkreader-inline-border-top:none;--darkreader-inline-border-right:none;--darkreader-inline-border-bottom:none;--darkreader-inline-border-left:none" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" data-darkreader-inline-border-top="" data-darkreader-inline-border-right="" data-darkreader-inline-border-bottom="" data-darkreader-inline-border-left=""></iframe></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>GOV&#x27;T RESPONSE</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>Marcos said search, rescue, and relief operations were &quot;being prepared and will be deployed as soon as it is safe to do so.”  </p><p>The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has also been pre-positioning food and non-food items, while the Department of Health (DOH) “is ready to provide emergency medical assistance,” he said.</p><p>Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) teams were inspecting national roads, bridges, and schools for structural damage. </p><p>Meanwhile, the Office of the Vice President said its Mindanao satellite offices were ready &quot;to assist any Local Government Unit (LGU) in providing relief to evacuees, should the need arise.&quot; </p><p>“We urge those affected by the earthquake to seek psychological first aid to help alleviate anxiety and fear, especially for children who may be more vulnerable,” it added.</p><p>The House of Representatives will “find ways” to speed up assistance to Davao Oriental residents, Deputy Speaker Kristine Singson-Meehan said.</p><p>House Committee on Appropriations Vice Chairperson Jose Alvarez noted that the President could access unprogrammed appropriations to respond to recent disasters, if the government had extra income.</p><p>“Itong 2025 budget, mayroong unprogrammed doon. Ma-access ‘yun ni Presidente, kung mayroong extra income ang gobyerno, maipasok doon, magagamit nila kaagad... So mahalaga ‘yun sa 2026, kung marami pa tayong lindol, marami pang bagyo, marami pang mabaha, eh at least mayroong pang response ang Palasyo,” he said.</p><p>The latest Philippine quake struck 11 days after a 6.9-magnitude one killed 75, injured 1,271 others according to an updated official tally.</p><div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=476&amp;href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Freel%2F1058186869588678%2F&amp;show_text=true&amp;width=267&amp;t=0" width="267" height="591" style="border:none;overflow:hidden;--darkreader-inline-border-top:none;--darkreader-inline-border-right:none;--darkreader-inline-border-bottom:none;--darkreader-inline-border-left:none" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" data-darkreader-inline-border-top="" data-darkreader-inline-border-right="" data-darkreader-inline-border-bottom="" data-darkreader-inline-border-left=""></iframe> <iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&amp;href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Freel%2F1332658518318769%2F&amp;show_text=true&amp;width=560&amp;t=0" width="560" height="429" style="border:none;overflow:hidden;--darkreader-inline-border-top:none;--darkreader-inline-border-right:none;--darkreader-inline-border-bottom:none;--darkreader-inline-border-left:none" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" data-darkreader-inline-border-top="" data-darkreader-inline-border-right="" data-darkreader-inline-border-bottom="" data-darkreader-inline-border-left=""></iframe></div><div><br/></div><p>Earthquakes are a near-daily occurrence in the Philippines, which is situated on the Pacific &quot;Ring of Fire&quot;, an arc of intense seismic activity stretching from Japan through Southeast Asia and across the Pacific basin.</p><p>An 8.0-magnitude quake off Mindanao island&#x27;s southwest coast in 1976 unleashed a tsunami that left 8,000 people dead or missing in the Philippines&#x27; deadliest single natural disaster</p><div><strong>— With reports from Marilyn Cahatol, Katrina Domingo, Harlene Delgado, Vivienne Gulla, Karen De Guzman, Bianca Dava, Al Saludo, Chat Ansagay, Rod Bolivar; Agence France-Presse </strong></div><div><br style="caret-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);color:rgb(0, 0, 0);--darkreader-inline-color:var(--darkreader-text-000000, #e8e6e3)" data-darkreader-inline-color=""/></div>

<p>A powerful quake struck the waters off Davao Oriental on Friday morning, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) said.</p>

A powerful quake struck the waters off Davao Oriental on Friday morning, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) said.

Magnitude 7.4 quake strikes off Davao Oriental; 2 reported dead

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Magnitude 7.4 quake strikes off Davao Oriental; 2 reported dead

Jamaine Punzalan,

Jauhn Etienne Villaruel,

ABS-CBN News

Published October 10, 2025 09:55 AM PHT

|

Updated October 10, 2025 05:28 PM PHT

Read More:

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quake

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