Country prepares to evacuate civilians due to threat of tsunami over one meter high; Japan can also be affected by atypical waves
An earthquake measuring 7.6 on the Richter scale struck the island of Mindanao in the southern region of the Philippines this Saturday (December 2, 2023). The information comes from the United States Tsunami Warning System.
Many citizens left the coastal area of the island. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said in a statement that there was a risk of tsunamis reaching 1 meter above normal tides. You can find the full statement here (in English, PDF 213 kB).
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The first waves of the tsunami were expected to arrive from 11 p.m. local time (10 a.m. Brazil time) and could last for hours.
The advice for those living in Surigao Del Sur and Davao Oriental provinces is to leave the area or go to the area closest to the interior of the island. There were no reports of deaths or extreme damage from the earthquake.
Japan is also developing measures to prevent a possible tsunami. The country’s weather agency explains in a press release: “It is dangerous to be at sea or near the coast. Anyone in the water should immediately leave the water and move away from the shore.” There the waves should be about 1 meter high.
Videos of people’s reactions to the earthquake were shared on news profiles.
Watch (54s):
🔴 Breaking News: Magnitude 7.6 earthquake hits Philippines | HUGE TSUNAMI NO LONGER EXPECTED
A magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck Mindanao in the Philippines just a few hours ago. People ran from their homes screaming in fear and anxiety.
> Following the earthquake authorities… pic.twitter.com/7zSan9KIqD
— Lounge Digest (@loungedigest) December 2, 2023
The depth of the earthquake was 45 km and occurred late morning local time.
The Philippines lies in the region known as the Pacific Ring of Fire, where earthquakes and volcanic activity are common due to the collision of tectonic plates.