Philippines earthquake kills 61, lifts coastal seabed up to two metres

A magnitude‑7.8 earthquake struck the island of Mindanao in the southern Philippines on Monday, killing at least 61 people, leaving 40 missing and injuring more than 1,400. The National Disaster Management Council reported that over 720,000 people were affected, with about 64,000 homes and critical infrastructure damaged or destroyed, valued at roughly one trillion pesos (≈ 14 million EUR).

Coastal uplift of up to two metres was recorded in the provinces of Sarangani and Davao Occidental, exposing coral reefs and causing shoreline erosion of up to 200 metres in some areas. Initial tsunami warnings for the Philippines and Indonesia were later lifted. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) are coordinating relief efforts.