MANILA: A powerful earthquake struck the southern region of the Philippines on Monday morning, prompting tsunami warnings across the Philippines, Indonesia, and Japan. The earthquake hit the coastal area of Mindanao, the main southern island of the Philippines, at 7:37 AM local time.

Different geological agencies have released varying preliminary details regarding the magnitude and depth of the quake. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) reported the earthquake as a magnitude 7.0 with a shallow depth of 10 kilometers.

However, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) measured the quake at a much stronger magnitude of 7.8, with a depth of 35 kilometers. Aligning with the USGS, the German Research Centre for Geosciences also estimated the magnitude at 7.8, but recorded its depth at 50 kilometers.

In response to the powerful tremors and the potential risk of massive ocean waves, coastal countries have started taking precautionary measures. Detailed reports regarding casualties and infrastructural damage are still awaited.