Philippine President orders evacuation after powerful earthquake strikes southern part

October 10, 2025

Manila: Philippine President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos on Friday ordered government agencies to immediately evacuate residents in coastal areas after a powerful earthquake struck off the coast of Davao Oriental province in the southern Philippines.

In a statement, Marcos urged people to “stay alert and calm,” and to “move to higher ground and stay away from the shore until authorities declare it safe.”

Government Agencies Mobilised

The President said he had directed the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, the Office of Civil Defence, the Armed Forces, the Philippine Coast Guard, and all concerned agencies to carry out immediate evacuations, activate emergency communication lines, and coordinate closely with local governments.

He added that search, rescue, and relief operations are already being prepared and will be deployed as soon as it is safe to do so.

Quake Details and Tsunami Warning

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) downgraded the offshore earthquake from a magnitude 7.6 to 7.4.

In its updated bulletin, the institute said the quake struck at 9:43 a.m. local time (0143 GMT), with its epicenter located 43 kilometres northeast of Manay in Davao Oriental, at a depth of 23 kilometres. Phivolcs also issued a tsunami warning in coastal areas of Mindanao and at least three central Philippine provinces, warning that waves could continue for hours. Residents in the threatened areas were urged to evacuate to higher ground or move farther inland.

Damage and Casualties Reported

Images and videos shared widely on social media showed residents fleeing coastal towns, with several describing the tremors online. In Butuan City, Agusan del Norte, part of a shopping mall collapsed, with debris crashing onto parked cars. Local reports also confirmed damage to the Davao International Airport.

Authorities confirmed at least two casualties. A man in Mati City, Davao Oriental, was reportedly crushed by a fallen wall in his house, while another person died in a landslide in Pantukan town in Davao de Oro province. Officials continue to monitor aftershocks and the tsunami risk, while emergency teams prepare for further rescue and relief operations.