A powerful earthquake struck the southern Philippines on the morning of October 10, 2025, causing widespread panic, structural damage, and triggering tsunami warnings across the region. The quake’s magnitude was reported variably by international and local agencies, with measurements ranging from 7.4 to 7.6.
According to the US Geological Survey, the earthquake registered a magnitude of 7.4 and occurred off the southeastern coast of Mindanao island near Davao, at a depth of 58.1 kilometers. However, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) reported a stronger magnitude of 7.6, with a much shallower depth of 10 kilometers. The epicenter was located in the waters off the town of Manay in Davao Oriental province.
In response to the tremor, Phivolcs issued a tsunami warning, advising residents in the coastal areas of Davao Oriental to immediately seek higher ground. The agency warned of potentially “destructive” tsunami waves with heights exceeding one meter above normal tides. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center expanded the alert, indicating that hazardous waves up to 3 meters were possible for the Philippines. Warnings were also extended to parts of Indonesia, including the northern Sulawesi and Papua regions, as well as the island nation of Palau.
The earthquake caused immediate chaos in coastal communities. In Manay, visible cracks appeared on buildings, including schools, and some students were hospitalized after fainting or experiencing dizziness. Power outages were reported in affected areas, and local authorities suspended classes, including in Davao City, a major urban center with a population of over 5 million.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. addressed the nation, assuring the public that government agencies were assessing the situation and that search-and-rescue teams would be deployed once conditions were deemed safe. "We are currently assessing the extent of the damage," the president's office stated, confirming that local evacuations were underway.
This major seismic event adds to a series of recent natural disasters that have battered the Philippines. Just two weeks prior, a magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck the coastal city of Bogo in Cebu, resulting in at least 74 fatalities and injuring over 500 people. The nation has also recently contended with Severe Tropical Storm Bualoi and Super Typhoon Ragasa, which caused significant havoc.
The Philippines is located on the seismically active Pacific "Ring of Fire," an arc of fault lines and volcanoes where about 90% of the world's earthquakes occur, making it one of the most disaster-prone countries on the planet. Authorities continue to monitor for aftershocks and the potential impact of tsunami waves.