Strong Earthquake in Philippines Triggers Collapses, Tsunami Alerts; Several Feared Dead

Tribune, June 8, 2026, Chandigarh : Terrifying visuals surfaced on social media after a powerful 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck the southern Philippines early Monday, leaving at least 32 people dead and more than 200 injured. The quake also triggered tsunami waves across parts of the country.

Several videos shared on social media platform X purportedly showed buildings collapsing, residents running in panic, and structures violently shaking as tremors jolted the region.

One viral clip showed a shelter collapsing at a school ground where children had assembled. Moments before the structure fell, a teacher was seen helping students practise earthquake safety measures amid the tremors.

In another video circulating online, residents were seen fleeing for safety as a building collapsed during the earthquake.

A separate clip appeared to show swimming pool water sloshing violently, highlighting the intensity of the earthquake.

“Nature can be so scary sometimes,” one user wrote on X, while another described it as “one of the strongest seismic events in recent years”.

“God saves Philippines in this bad situation like this,” commented one user. “Stay strong, Philippines,” said another.

“This is so scary, terrifying,” said some other users.

The offshore earthquake struck at 7:37 am and was centred about 13 km south-west of General Santos in the southern Mindanao region, making it the strongest quake to hit the Philippines this year.

The quake damaged buildings and a key access bridge in General Santos, a city of more than 700,000 people and a major commercial hub. Numerous aftershocks followed, and tremors were also felt in nearby Malaysia.

Tsunami waves measuring around one metre were monitored in the Philippine provinces of Sultan Kudarat and Sarangani, while smaller waves were recorded in other areas.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre said tsunami waves of up to three metres were possible along some Philippine coasts, while waves of up to one metre could affect parts of Indonesia and Malaysia.

Malaysia’s Meteorological Department also issued a tsunami warning for Sabah state on Borneo Island.

Authorities in the Philippines and Indonesia urged residents living in coastal areas to move to higher ground. Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr appealed to people in vulnerable areas to immediately evacuate to safer locations as disaster response agencies remained on standby.