Powerful 7.8 Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Philippines, Killing at Least 15
A major earthquake hit the southern Philippines on June 8, killing at least 15 people, destroying buildings, and triggering tsunami alerts across Asia. Schools were closed as President Marcos Jr. ordered emergency response measures.
The Earthquake and Immediate Impact
A powerful earthquake has struck the Philippines, killing at least 15 people, destroying buildings and triggering tsunami alerts across Asia. Police spokesperson Robert Dagun told a local radio station that parts of the city's St Elizabeth Hospital were severely damaged, forcing patients and medical personnel to evacuate and temporarily operate outside the main hospital building.
Tsunami threat recedes after authorities' warnings following magnitude 7.8 earthquake off island of Mindanao.
Witness Accounts and Structural Damage
Mary Ann Blanco Rhudy, a Catholic nun working for Notre Dame of Dadiangas University in General Santos, said she was travelling to the college when the earthquake struck. "The cars on the road were moving erratically. I am lucky that they didn't crash against each other," she told Al Jazeera. "The trees on the side of the road were also swaying violently." Rhudy said some of the buildings at the college had partially collapsed.
Government Response and School Closures
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said emergency agencies had been activated, including the Office of Civil Defence and the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council. Marcos said he had ordered the closure of schools in affected areas. According to the state-run Philippine News Agency, 3.2 million students and 128,000 teachers and personnel were affected on what was meant to be the first day of school in the country. "The safety of our children comes first," Marcos said.