A 7.6 magnitude earthquake struck a southern province of the Philippines on Friday morning, creating a tsunami threat. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said there was a possibility of damage from the earthquake and more aftershocks. The epicenter was located in the ocean about 62 kilometers southeast of Manay City, Davao Oriental province. The Honolulu-based Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said the earthquake was expected to cause dangerous waves within a radius of 300 kilometers from its epicenter. However, he also clarified that there is no danger of a large-scale tsunami.
Read this also: Trump administration postpones plan to impose tariff on Indian generic drugs, big relief to major pharmaceutical companies
After Friday’s quake, PHIVOLCS told the AP that the quake was centered in the ocean about 62 kilometers southeast of Manay city in Davao Oriental province and was caused by movement in a crack at a shallow depth of 10 kilometers (6 miles).
Meanwhile, the Honolulu-based Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said dangerous waves were likely within 300 kilometers of the epicenter. Waves as high as 3 m (10 ft) above normal tide may have occurred on some Philippine coasts near the epicenter, while smaller waves may have occurred in Indonesia and Palau.
Read this also: Arvind Srinivas: Perplexity’s Comet AI warns Indian developers who complete Coursera course
One of the most disaster-prone countries in the world, the Philippines is frequently hit by earthquakes and volcanic eruptions because it lies on the “Ring of Fire”, an arc of seismic faults around the Pacific Ocean.The archipelago is also affected by approximately 20 storms and typhoons each year, making disaster response a major task for the government and volunteer groups.