By Gabriel Angelo S Jimenea
MANILA: Panic gripped southern Philippines early Friday after a powerful offshore earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.6 struck near Davao Oriental province. The tremor, which knocked out power in some areas, prompted authorities to issue tsunami warnings and order immediate coastal evacuations across nearby provinces.
According to the Associated Press (AP), the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology reported that the quake was centred about 62 kilometres (38 miles) southeast of Manay town at a shallow depth of 10 kilometres (6 miles), increasing the likelihood of significant damage and aftershocks.
In Davao City — the nearest major urban centre with a population of about 5.4 million — children were evacuated from schools as precautionary measures were enforced.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre in Honolulu warned that hazardous waves up to 3 metres (10 feet) above normal tides could affect parts of the Philippine coastline within 300 kilometres (186 miles) of the epicentre, with smaller waves expected in Indonesia and Palau.
Source: Emirates News Agency
