Manila, Philippines Authorities in the Philippines issued a tsunami warning after a strong earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.6 struck Saturday night off the coast of the southern Philippine island of Mindanao.
The U.S. Geological Survey reports that the earthquake hit at 10:37 p.m. at a depth of 32 kilometers (20 miles). No immediate reports of injuries or damage were made.
Based on the size and position, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center predicted that tsunami waves will strike portions of Indonesia, Malaysia, and the southern Philippines.
The chairman of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, Teresito Bacolcol, told The Associated Press that his organization has recommended people living along the shore in the southern provinces of Surigao del Sur and Davao Oriental to either move farther inland or evacuate right now.
The earthquake service issued a tsunami warning, advising boat owners in ports, estuaries, or shallow coastal waters off the two provinces to secure their vessels and leave the shoreline area. It stated that boats that are currently at sea should remain offshore in deep seas until further notice.
A 1-meter (3.2-foot) tsunami may occur, according to Bacolcol, based on the magnitude of the earthquake; however, waves in confined coves, bays, and straits may be greater.
Occupying a region surrounded by seismic faults on the Pacific "Ring of Fire," the Philippines is prone to frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, making it one of the world's most disaster-prone nations. Additionally, the archipelago experiences around 20 hurricanes and typhoons year.
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