NN ONLINE:
Two strong offshore earthquakes hit the same region in the southern Philippines within hours on Friday, killing at least seven people, triggering landslides, and prompting evacuations in coastal areas amid a brief tsunami alert.
The first tremor, measuring 7.4 in magnitude, struck off the coast of Manay town in Davao Oriental province, while the second, preliminary 6.8 magnitude quake, occurred later in the same area along the Philippine Trench at a depth of 37 kilometers (23 miles), according to Teresito Bacolcol, chief of the Philippine Institute of Seismology and Volcanology.
“This is a separate earthquake, which we call a doublet quake,” Bacolcol told The Associated Press. “Both occurred in the same region but with different magnitudes and epicenters.” Authorities warned that the second quake could further weaken or collapse structures already damaged by the first tremor.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., confronting another natural disaster after a recent deadly earthquake and consecutive storms, said rescue teams and relief operations were being readied to deploy once conditions are safe.
The first quake, centered about 43 kilometers east of Manay at a depth of 23 kilometers, claimed at least seven lives. Two hospital patients suffered fatal heart attacks, a resident in Mati city was struck by debris, and three villagers died in a landslide in Pantukan town, Davao de Oro province. Another casualty was reported in Davao city, where hundreds sustained injuries, officials said.
Buildings in several areas, including Davao city’s international airport, suffered structural cracks, but operations continued without flight cancellations. Residents described intense shaking that toppled power lines and sent people fleeing from homes and offices.
Schools were evacuated in Davao city and Governor Generoso town, about 100 kilometers south of Manay, as structural damage was reported in several buildings, including a high school where around 50 students were treated for minor injuries.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center reported small waves along the Philippines and Indonesia’s coasts, but the threat subsided about two hours after the first quake. Indonesia’s meteorological agency recorded minor tsunami waves of 3.5 to 17 centimeters in North Sulawesi.
The Philippines is still recovering from a Sept. 30, 6.9-magnitude quake in Cebu province that killed at least 74 people and displaced thousands. The archipelago experiences around 20 typhoons and storms annually, making disaster preparedness a constant challenge for authorities and volunteers.
Meanwhile, a separate 6.0-magnitude quake struck off Papua New Guinea’s coast on Friday. Centered in the Bismarck Sea northeast of Lae, no damage was reported, local police said.
