The southern Philippines experienced a series of significant seismic events on Friday, prompting widespread tsunami alerts and urgent evacuation calls.
An initial 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck the Pacific seaboard of the major island of Mindanao at 9:43 AM, resulting in at least six fatalities and triggering an initial tsunami warning. Fewer than ten hours later, at 7:12 PM, a powerful 6.9-magnitude aftershock, identified as the largest of at least 300 recorded, further jolted the region. This aftershock led to a renewed warning from the Philippine seismology office regarding “life-threatening wave heights,” urging coastal residents to immediately evacuate to higher ground or farther inland.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Honolulu also indicated the possibility of hazardous waves within 300 kilometers of the epicenters. Bernardo Rafaelito Alejandro IV, deputy administrator of the Office of Civil Defense, advised residents in six coastal provinces, including Davao Oriental, to move away from waterfronts and secure boats until further notice.
Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/rest-of-world/6-9-magnitude-aftershock-strikes-philippines-hours-after-7-4-earthquake-that-killed-six/articleshow/124453389.cms