The Philippine Institute of Seismology (PHIVOLCS), has issued a warning that tsunami waves could potentially reach the shores of the Philippines by midnight local time, which corresponds to 1600 Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).
PHIVOLCS has also indicated that the tsunami waves could continue for several hours.
Massive 7.5 Magnitude Earthquake Off The Coast of Philippines, Close To Japan.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said based on the magnitude and location, it expected tsunami waves to hit the southern Philippines and parts of Indonesia, Palau and Malaysia. pic.twitter.com/4qYOnG8oFW
— Bh News (@Bhnews_eng) December 2, 2023
Late on Saturday, a significant seismic event occurred in the southern Philippines. An earthquake with a magnitude of at least 7.5 on the Richter scale struck Mindanao.
local authorities have issued evacuation orders for certain areas.
But the impact of the earthquake extends beyond the immediate vicinity of its epicenter. The seismic activity has triggered warnings of potential tsunami waves, which could reach a height of a metre (3 feet) or more. These warnings are not confined to the Philippines but also include the southwestern coasts of Japan.
The U.S. Tsunami Warning System, has issued a significant alert regarding the situation in the Philippines. According to their analysis, the earthquake could trigger tsunami waves that reach up to 3 metres above the normal tide level along certain coasts of the Philippines.
“Boats already at sea during this period should stay offshore in deep waters until further advised,” Phivolcs said, asking people living near the coast of Surigao Del Sur and Davao Oriental provinces to “immediately evacuate” or “move farther inland”.
According to the Japanese broadcasting organization, NHK, there is an expectation of tsunami waves reaching up to a metre. These waves are predicted to make landfall on the southwestern coast of Japan. The estimated time of arrival for these waves is approximately 30 minutes from the time of the announcement, which translates to 1:30 a.m. local time on Sunday, or 1630(GMT) on Saturday.
ALSO READ | Seismic Surge, Iceland on High Alert as Over 800 Earthquakes Strike in 14 Hours
The Philippine Institute of Seismology (Phivolcs) has issued a statement regarding the recent earthquake. While they do anticipate significant damage resulting directly from the tremor, they have also issued a warning about potential aftershocks.
Raymark Gentallan, who serves as the local police chief in the coastal town of Hinatuan, located near the epicentre of the earthquake, has provided an update on the situation. According to Gentallan, the power supply in the area has been disrupted since the earthquake occurred. Despite these difficulties, disaster response teams have been actively monitoring the situation. As of now, they have not reported any casualties or significant damage.
The European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC), has reported a significant seismic event. According to their data, an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.5 on the Richter scale has occurred.
The EMSC has further detailed that the epicenter of this earthquake was located at a depth of 63 kilometers, or approximately 39 miles below the earth’s surface.
The U.S. Geographic Survey, has provided additional details about the earthquake. According to their data, the earthquake was of a magnitude 7.6, which is considered high on the Richter scale.
The earthquake occurred at a depth of 32 kilometers, beneath the earth’s surface.
The U.S. Geographic Survey also provided the exact timing of the earthquake. It struck at 10:37 p.m., local time in the Philippines (1437 GMT).
ALSO READ | Cargo Ship Sinks Off Greek Island, 13 Crew Members Including 4 Indians Missing