A tsunami warning has been issued after a powerful 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck near the Philippine island of Mindanao.
The earthquake occurred at approximately 7:40 a.m. local time near Mindanao Island. According to reports, at least five people were killed and several buildings collapsed as a result of the strong tremor.
Following the undersea earthquake near the Philippines, tsunami warnings were issued for several parts of Asia. Authorities also issued a tsunami alert for northeastern coastal areas of Indonesia.
The Tsunami Warning Center warned that waves of up to three meters could hit coastal regions of the Philippines, while waves of up to one meter are possible in parts of Indonesia and Malaysia.
In response to the threat of dangerous waves, authorities issued emergency alerts and instructed residents living in coastal areas to move to safer locations.
Earlier, on May, 18, 2026 a 5.2 magnitude earthquake struck southern China’s Guangxi region early, causing damage in the affected area.
The earthquake hit Liuzhou city at around 12:21 a.m. local time. Two people were killed and one person was also reported missing after the disaster.
Chinese Central Television (CCTV) identified the two victims as a married couple, a 63 year old man and a 53 year old woman. Rescue teams immediately began search operations to locate the missing persons. Residents trapped or affected by the earthquake were also rescued.
Major destruction in several areas was caused by the earthquake. According to reports, 13 buildings collapsed because of the strong shaking. More than 7,000 people from nearby locations were evacuated by emergency authorities to safer areas. This step was taken to prevent further injuries and protect residents from possible aftershocks.
Videos shown by CCTV displayed frightening scenes of people rushing out of high buildings during the earthquake. Large piles of rubble could be seen beside destroyed homes and damaged structures. Rescue workers, along with trained search dogs were used to find debris signs of survivors. Earthmovers machine was also being used to clear wreckage and open blocked areas.
However, earthquakes are relatively common in China because several parts of the country lie near active seismic zones. In recent years, China has experienced multiple deadly earthquakes that caused heavy loss of life and property damage.
Also read: 5.2 magnitude earthquake in south China kills two
