At least 15 people were feared dead after a powerful 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck off the southern Philippines early Monday, prompting tsunami warnings in several neighbouring countries.
The earthquake hit near the island of Mindanao as schools across the country were reopening after an extended break. Strong tremors were reported in at least a dozen provinces and were also felt as far as Manado, located about 420 kilometres away on Indonesia’s Sulawesi island.
Authorities issued tsunami advisories for parts of the southern Philippines, northern Indonesia, and the Malaysian state of Sabah on Borneo island following the quake.
According to preliminary reports, the earthquake’s epicentre was located roughly 20 kilometres off the coast of Sarangani province in southern Mindanao.