NEED TO KNOW

• Two earthquakes hit off the coast of Philippines on Monday, June 8, causing destruction on the southern island of Mindanao
• The quakes left at least 19 people dead and more than 200 injured
• Footage captured collapsed building, including a Jolibee restaurant reduced to rubble

At least 19 people have died after a 7.8-magnitude earthquake hit off the coast of the Philippines. 

The first quake struck shortly after 7:30 a.m. local time on Monday, June 8, in the municipality of Massim on the southern island of Mindanao. A 7.0- magnitude quake then struck around 20 minutes later in Malapatan. 

“Aftershocks and damage to be expected,” the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council shared in a Facebook post alongside the alerts. 

More than 200 people have also been injured amid the natural disaster, per the Associated Press. 

Tsunami alerts were also issued in the country, Indonesia, Japan and Australia, though some were canceled after a few hours, per the BBC. The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council confirmed on Facebook that various tsunami warnings had been canceled. 

According to the AP, a 3-foot tsunami hit nearby coasts and smaller waves were measured in Indonesia and southern Japan.

The quake caused multiple buildings to collapse, including a Jollibee restaurant, which was captured collapsing into a heap of rubble in a video shared by the BBC. A video posted by the Philippines News Agency also showed power lines shaking in Davao City on the southern island of Mindanao.

“It’s a major earthquake,” Teresito Bacolcol, the director of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, told the AP. 

Rod Sosmeña, regional director of the Office of Civil Defense, also told the outlet that their pickup truck “suddenly jerked” when the quake hit. 

“The shaking was very strong and people dashed out of houses into the streets,” Sosmeña said.

In a statement shared on X, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said, “I have directed all relevant government agencies to act immediately,” adding, “The national government is moving and we will not leave Mindanao behind. I am in constant communication with our regional offices and local chief executives on the ground.”

The president also confirmed that he had ordered for all classes to be canceled in Mindanao “until further notice” following the “strong” earthquake. “The safety of our children comes first,” he added.

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The quake occurred on the first day of the school year in the Philippines, per the BBC.

More than 130 aftershocks, with magnitudes ranging from 1.3 to 6.7, were also recorded after the initial quake, according to the outlet.

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