Earthquake today: 7.5-magnitude quake jolts Philippines; tsunami warning lifted, fears of casualties remain

Earthquake today: A massive 7.5-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of the Philippines on Friday, triggering fears of a possible tsunami and aftershocks across the region.

While the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) initially pegged the quake at 7.4, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) said the magnitude was 7.6. It later revised the magnitude down from an initial reading of 7.6 to 7.5, and put the depth of the quake at 20 km (12 miles).

Following Friday's quake, PHIVOLCS told AP that it was expecting damage and aftershocks from the earthquake, which was centred at sea about 62 kilometres southeast of Manay town in Davao Oriental province and was caused by movement in a fault.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Honolulu initially said hazardous waves were possible within 300 kilometers of the epicenter, with waves up to 3 meters (10 feet) above normal tides possible on some Philippine coasts near the epicenter and smaller waves possible in Indonesia and Palau.

Hours after the quake, however, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center lifted its tsunami alert for the Philippines, Palau and Indonesia.

"There is no longer a tsunami threat from this earthquake," it said in an advisory.

That said, fears of casualties remain: President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said authorities were assessing the situation on the ground, adding that search-and-rescue teams would be deployed to the region when it was safe to do so.

"We are working round the clock to ensure that help reaches everyone who needs it," Marcos said in a statement.

Local authorities in the affected region could not immediately be reached, Reuters reported.

Friday's quake comes a day after a 4.4 magnitude earthquake struck at 10:30 am local time on 9 October 2025, with its epicentre three kilometres north-northeast of Pugo in La Union province at a depth of 23 kilometres.

The tremor caused strong shaking in Baguio City, leading to evacuations at schools and universities and the suspension of classes for the day by Mayor Benjamin Magalong, while lower intensities affected areas in Benguet, Mountain Province, and Pangasinan.

No casualties or major damage were reported, though PHIVOLCS warned of possible aftershocks in the seismically active region.

The Philippines lies in what is known as the Pacific Ring of Fire, where 90% of the world's earthquakes, including some of the largest ones, occur.