At least 35 dead after 7.8 Earthquake strikes in Philippines

A powerful magnitude-7.8 earthquake struck off the coast of Mindanao island in the southern Philippines, leaving at least 35 people dead, 134 injured, and around 10,000 families displaced on Monday morning.

The country's disaster office reported that the majority of the fatalities occurred in the Soccsksargen region, with additional deaths recorded in Davao, reports BBC.

The tremor caused widespread damage, triggering landslides and collapsing buildings, including a local Jollibee restaurant, while more than 130 aftershocks continued to rattle the area.

In the immediate aftermath, initial tsunami warnings were issued for the Philippines, Indonesia, Japan, and Australia, though these were later cancelled or downgraded after only minor waves were observed.

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. assured the public of a coordinated national disaster response and ordered the immediate suspension of school classes, which coincidentally fell on the first day of the academic year.

Because the Philippines sits on the geologically unstable "Ring of Fire," earthquakes are common, though this event marks one of the region's more destructive recent tremors.