Oct. 9 (UPI) — A strong 7.5-magnitude earthquake struck off the southeastern coast of the Philippines on Friday morning, according to seismologists. The extent of potential damage was not immediately clear.
The U.S. National Tsunami Warning Center said a tsunami is not expected for the western U.S. coast.
However, it warned of waves of up to nearly 10 feet for parts of the Philippines.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, known as Phivolcs, is warning of waves of more than a meter, or 3.2 feet, to affect enclosed bays and straits.
Residents along coastal areas in eight provinces are “STRONGLY ADVISED TO IMMEDIATELY EVACUATE to higher grounds or move farther inland,” it said.
The quake struck at 9:43 a.m. PHT Friday about 27 miles off the coast of Manay in the southeastern province of Davao Oriental, according to a statement from Phivolcs, which said damage was expected. It had initially rated it a magnitude-7.6 earthquake.
The agency said it struck at a depth of 12 miles.
The U.S. Geological Survey rated the quake at magnitude 7.4 and the depth 36 miles.
Aftershocks were expected, with 11 having struck within an hour of the original temblor, the strongest being a 5.2 magnitude temblor.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said in a statement that the situation on the ground is being assessed, and that federal agencies, including the military, have been deployed to conduct evacuations in coastal areas and activate emergency communication lines.
“Search, rescue and relief operations are already being prepared and will be deployed as soon as it is safe to do so,” he said in a statement.
“We are working round the clock to ensure that help reaches everyone who needs it.”
The provincial government of Davao Oriental has ordered the suspension of all public and private classes and work in public and private offices.
The city government of Davao similarly canceled all classes at both private and public schools and suspended all government work until further notice except for services in security, health, social services and disaster and emergency response due to the temblor. Private offices are encouraged to follow suit.
The earthquake struck two weeks after more than 70 people were killed in a 6.9-magnitude earthquake that hit Cebu Province late last month.