Tsunami threat lifted after Philippine earthquake – as it happened

6.45am BST Closing summary Thank you for following our live coverage of the 7.6-magnitude earthquake that struck the Mindanao region in the southern Philippines on Friday. Here is a quick recap of what we know. A tsunami warning triggered by the quake has now been lifted. The earthquake killed at least one person, damaged buildings, knocked out power, and prompted evacuations of coastal areas. People fled in panic, schools were shuttered and several buildings sustained cracks, including the international airport building in Davao. However, the airport remained operational with no flights cancelled. Neighbouring Indonesia also issued a tsunami warning for the areas of north Sulawesi and Papua, with reports only of small waves in those regions. Philippine president Ferdinand Marcos Jnr., said the country was still assessing the full extent of the damage. 5.57am BST Though the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Honolulu said the tsunami threat from the earthquake has ended, small sea fluctuations may continue. Small waves were detected on the Indonesian and Philippine coasts after Friday’s earthquake, with the highest recorded at 17cm above tide level in Indonesia’s North Sulawesi province. Meanwhile, damage from the earthquake is still being assessed. “We’ve had earthquakes in the past, but this was the strongest,” Jun Saavedra, a disaster-mitigation officer of Governor Generoso town in Davao Oriental, told The Associated Press by cellphone. Saavedra said that his town, located about 100 km south of Manay, experienced intense ground swaying – causing cracks in several buildings, including schools. He added that at least 50 students from a high school in his town were brought to hospital by ambulance after either fainting or becoming dizzy due to the earthquake. Updated at 6.00am BST 5.16am BST Tsunami warning lifted The tsunami threat from the Philippines earthquake has passed, according to the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre. Updated at 5.31am BST 5.01am BST Earthquakes are a near-daily occurrence in the Philippines, which is situated on the Pacific “ring of fire” – an arc of intense seismic activity stretching from Japan through south-east Asia and across the Pacific basin. The strong earthquake on Friday struck less than a fortnight after at least 74 people were killed in the aftermath of another 6.9 tremor on 30 September. That incident in the country’s central Cebu province injured many others and displaced thousands, particularly in Bogo city and outlying towns. Updated at 5.03am BST 4.52am BST There are no major reports of damage so far, but some photos are starting to filter through that show the impacts of dramatic shaking following the quake. 4.25am BST Schools were suspended in Davao City Classes in all public and private schools in Davao City on the island of Mindanao were suspended after the earthquake. Inquirer.net reports the local government made the order to “give way to the conduct of rapid damage assessment of infrastructures and facilities”. 4.13am BST Philippines president directs agencies to aid evacuations and provide help to ‘everyone who needs it’ Ferdinand Marcos, the president of the Philippines, said the government was working “round the clock” to ensure help reaches “everyone who needs it”. He said in a statement: We are now assessing the situation on the ground and ensuring that everyone is safe. … Search, rescue, and relief operations are already being prepared and will be deployed as soon as it is safe to do so. Marcos said he had directed multiple agencies, including the armed forces and coast guard, to immediately carry out evacuations in coastal areas and to activate emergency communications lines. Let us continue to look out for one another and pray for the safety of all our countrymen. READ: President @bongbongmarcos assured the public of the government’s swift response following the magnitude 7.6 earthquake that struck offshore Davao Oriental at 9:43 a.m. and prompted a tsunami warning in parts of Mindanao and the Visayas. #IntegratedStateMedia#EarthquakePH pic.twitter.com/jDHggthYMY— PIA Desk (@PIADesk) October 10, 2025 4.10am BST Images from the Philippines show people gathering in the open air in the wake of the shaking. 4.04am BST A map of the Philippines region where the earthquake struck Interactive 3.58am BST ‘It was very strong’, governor of Philippine province says of the quake Reuters reports the governor of the southern Philippine province of Davao Oriental told a local broadcaster people panicked when the earthquake struck. “Some buildings were reported to have been damaged,” Edwin Jubahib told broadcaster DZMM. “It was very strong.” The strong quake came two weeks after the Philippines experienced its deadliest quake in more than a decade, with 72 people killed on the island of Cebu.That was a magnitude of 6.9 and also struck offshore. 3.46am BST A note on earthquake measurementsIt is worth mentioning that different agencies often generate different readings of earthquakes immediately after the event, which are sometimes revised up or down in subsequent hours. Today the magnitude measurement of the Mindanao quake has fluctuated between 7.2 to 7.6, depending on the agency.A bigger difference is, however, apparent in the recorded depth of today’s earthquake, with the Philippines Phivolcs agency saying it occurred at a depth of 10km, while the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre put the quake at a depth of 58 km.We will continue to provide updates and clarification as they become available. Updated at 3.51am BST 3.39am BST Tsunami warning center says hazardous waves possible within 300km of epicenter The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Honolulu said hazardous waves were possible within 186 miles of the epicenter, the Associated Press reports. It said waves up to 3 meters were possible on some Philippine coasts near the epicenter. Smaller waves were possible in Indonesia and Palau. 3.25am BST Strong aftershocks rattling region as officials warn large waves could strike in the next two hours The quake struck about 62km from the town of Manay in the Mindanao region, at a shallow depth of about 10km. There are no immediate reports of damage, but officials in the Philippines have warned residents to expect waves above normal tides in the next two hours. Multiple aftershocks – so far a 5.9 magnitude and 5.6 magnitude – have hit the same region in the last half hour. #EarthquakePH #EarthquakeDavaoOriental#iFelt_DavaoOrientalEarthquakeEarthquake Information No.2Date and Time: 10 October 2025 - 09:43 AMMagnitude = 7.5Depth = 020 kmLocation = 07.25°N, 126.93°E - 044 km N 85° E of Manay (Davao Oriental)https://t.co/n0ewKnLfoz pic.twitter.com/6dOF5fWgVV— PHIVOLCS-DOST (@phivolcs_dost) October 10, 2025 Updated at 3.31am BST 3.18am BST Indonesia issues a tsunami warning for several regions Indonesia has issued its own tsunami warning for North Sulawesi and the Papua regions, Reuters reports. 3.15am BST Agency warns of potentially destructive tsunami with ‘life threatening wave heights’ The Philippine Seismology Agency says a destructive tsunami “with life threatening wave heights” is expected. Officials said based on a local tsunami scenario database, “it is expected to experience wave heights of more than one meter above the normal tides and may be higher on enclosed bays and straits”. People in coastal areas of seven provinces are being urged to evacuate immediately to higher ground or move further inland. The affected areas include: Eastern Samar, Southern Leyte, Leyte, Dinagat Islands, Surigao Del Norte, Surigao Del Sur and Davao Oriental. 3.07am BST Opening summary Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the earthquake in the Philippines. A quake measuring 7.4 has struck the Mindanao region, triggering a tsunami warning. The Philippines seismology agency has warned of damage and aftershocks after the quake struck the southern island. The agency said it strongly advises people in coastal towns in central and southern Philippines to immediately evacuate to higher ground. We will follow the developments live.