Jakarta: Indonesia’s National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) on Monday urged the evacuation of residents to higher ground in northern coastal areas of the country threatened by tsunami waves following a powerful 7.8-magnitude earthquake in the southern Philippines.
Minor tsunami waves were detected at several coastal monitoring stations in northern Indonesia, the BNPB said in a statement. Given the aftershocks following the strong quake, the agency has urged officials in affected provinces such as North Sulawesi and Gorontalo to immediately direct residents to remain vigilant, stay away from the shores, and evacuate to higher ground in an orderly manner.
The powerful earthquake in the Philippines has caused panic among residents in some coastal areas of northeastern Indonesia, local media reported on Monday. The tremor was felt across various cities and villages, but there have been no immediate reports of casualties.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said a magnitude 7.8 offshore earthquake hit waters in the southern Philippines on Monday morning. In response, Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysical Agency has issued a tsunami warning for the country’s northeastern coastal areas.
At least five people have been reported dead, according to a local disaster official.
Agripino Dacera, the disaster management chief in General Santos City, said authorities are still verifying the extent of the fatalities and damage, reports Xinhua news agency.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said the highest wave recorded reached 1.4 meters.
The local media reported that some buildings collapsed and caused power outages. Tremors were felt in neighbouring provinces.
The institute issued a tsunami warning to nine coastal provinces, strongly advising residents in those areas to immediately evacuate to higher ground or move farther inland following the quake.
It is forecast that the first tsunami waves will arrive on Monday morning and continue for hours.
Philippine President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos ordered disaster response and monitoring efforts across affected areas and urged residents to move to higher ground for evacuation.
The quake occurred offshore near Mindanao, the second-largest island in the Philippines, situated in one of the most seismically active areas worldwide, as per local media accounts.
The Philippines experiences frequent seismic activity due to its location along the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” a zone of major tectonic plate boundaries known for earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
(IANS)
