Video shows houses collapsing and people fleeing

A severe earthquake has shaken the southern Philippines and triggered tsunami warnings in several countries. Buildings collapsed and people ran into the streets in panic. The 7.8-magnitude quake struck off the coast of Sarangani province on the island of Mindanao on Monday morning, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs).

According to various authorities, at least 19 people were killed. 129 others were injured, according to the director of the Philippine Civil Defense, Rod Sosmena. Most of the fatalities were in the hard-hit city of General Santos City.

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Damaged buildings in General Santos City in the south of the Philippines. (June 8, 2026)

Image: Keystone/EPA/Philippines Red Cross

The Civil Defense confirmed three more deaths in the province of Davao Occidental. "The damage assessment and the registration of the victims are still ongoing," Sosmena continued. There are reports that people are trapped in a school. "But we don't have an exact figure yet," he emphasized.

Damage to many buildings

There were also reports of serious damage to schools, hospitals, shopping centers and churches. However, the extent of the damage was initially unclear.

Tsunami warnings were also initially issued in neighboring Indonesia, especially on the island of Sulawesi. Japan also warned of possible tidal waves on parts of its Pacific coast.

The epicenter was southwest of the municipality of Maasim in the province of Sarangani. The tremors were felt particularly strongly in the city of General Santos City. The airport there was temporarily closed.

The quake hit the region at 7.37 a.m. (local time) on the first day of the new school year. Flag-raising ceremonies were taking place at schools and authorities in many places - a stroke of luck, as many pupils, teachers and employees were outside. Lessons were suspended in the affected areas, as was work in many public and private institutions.

What do eyewitnesses say?

Many people reacted in panic to the violent earth tremors. "I thought it was the end for me. I just started praying," provincial reporter Noreen Ygonia told local media. "It shook so hard that I could hardly move." A resident of the town of Koronadal said: "We were just screaming because we were so scared."

A collapsed school in the province of Davao del Sur.

EPA

According to the school administration, a building collapsed at a school in the province of Davao del Sur. No one was injured. "Fortunately, our flag-raising ceremony was taking place and everyone was outside," said principal Elene Marie Jane Gamboa. The building had already been damaged in an earthquake in 2019 and was due to be demolished anyway.

US geologists registered numerous aftershocks. According to estimates by the US earthquake monitoring station USGS, waves of up to three meters in height could occur on some sections of the coast. However, the Philippine authorities stated that no unusually high waves had initially been observed. The development will continue to be monitored.

What is the Pacific Ring of Fire?

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. assured those affected of state support. The national government would not leave Mindanao alone, he explained. He was in constant contact with the regional authorities on the ground. He called on the population: "Get to higher ground now. Do not wait." People's lives are more important than anything they have to leave behind.

The Philippines and Indonesia are located on the Pacific Ring of Fire - a gigantic, horseshoe-shaped volcanic belt. Strong earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occur particularly frequently there because several earth plates collide.