Manila, Philippines: On Friday, the southern Philippines was rocked by a formidable magnitude 6.7 earthquake, according to the US Geological Survey. Concerns about potential damage have prompted local authorities to issue warnings.
The earthquake, striking at 0814 GMT, originated off Sarangani province on the primary southern island of Mindanao, reaching a depth of 78 kilometers.
The US Geological Survey, in an official statement, affirmed that there was no tsunami threat associated with the seismic activity.
While there are currently no reports of casualties, the seismic event reverberated across a wide expanse of the mountainous island. Keeshia Leyran, 27, attending a conference in Davao City, approximately 200 kilometres from the epicentre, expressed, “I believe it was the most powerful earthquake I’ve ever encountered,” in a statement to AFP.
Observing people in a state of panic, hastily making their way outside, was disconcerting. Considering the sizable crowd present at the event, my primary worry was the possibility of a stampede, to be frank.
Earthquakes frequently occur in the Philippines, situated within the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” an area known for high seismic and volcanic activity that stretches from Japan through Southeast Asia and across the Pacific basin.