A strong earthquake jolted the southern region of the Philippines on Wednesday. The quake, measuring 6.3 magnitude, occurred 32km southwest of Sarangani with a depth of 10km. Fortunately, despite the intense shaking, there is no tsunami threat to the nation, and there have been no immediate reports of casualties or damage.
According to Harly Sauro, an island rescuer, people were in a state of panic, running and shouting during the quake, especially as they had gathered to receive a government subsidy. Sauro mentioned that the shaking was significant, causing panic among the people, but everyone remained safe. He expressed confidence that there would likely be no casualties or damage based on their assessment and past experience.
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) indicated a low probability of casualties from the earthquake. However, due to the presence of vulnerable properties in the area, there could be significant damage. The impact of the earthquake extended to Indonesia as well as the Philippines due to its location.
This seismic event follows a previous magnitude-7.8 earthquake that struck off the coast of Mindanao island in the southern Philippines, displacing over 10,000 families just two months ago. That earlier quake resulted in at least 35 deaths and more than 100 injuries. Additionally, tsunami alerts were issued for the Philippines, Indonesia, Japan, and Australia following the recent earthquake but were later lifted or reduced within hours of the initial tremor.