A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck off the southern Philippines on Wednesday (5th August), prompting residents to flee buildings as authorities assessed the affected areas for possible damage.
According to the US Geological Survey, the earthquake struck at 12:14 pm local time (0414 GMT) on 5th August. Its epicentre was about 32 km (20 miles) southwest of Sarangani Island. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said the earthquake occurred at a depth of 62 km beneath the seabed.
Officials confirmed there was no tsunami threat, and there were no immediate reports of casualties or significant structural damage.
The earthquake caused alarm on Sarangani Island, where hundreds of residents had gathered to receive financial assistance from local authorities.
Sarangani Island rescuer Harly Sauro told AFP: “The shaking was quite strong. I saw people in panic. They were running and shouting.”
Sauro said the earthquake struck while local government officials were distributing financial aid. “The earthquake came while the local government was giving a financial subsidy, so there were many people at the court, but everyone’s safe,” he added.
Following inspections, emergency response teams said they did not expect significant damage.
“Based on our assessment and experience, we don’t think there will be casualties or damage,” Sauro said.
The Philippines experiences frequent earthquakes because it lies along the Pacific Ring of Fire, a belt of intense seismic activity stretching from Japan through Southeast Asia and across the Pacific Ocean.
The latest earthquake follows a powerful tremor on 8th June, which toppled buildings, triggered landslides, and killed at least 76 people on the nearby island of Mindanao.
That earthquake was caused by movement along the Cotabato Trench off the coast of Mindanao. The seabed was uplifted by as much as 2 metres (6.6 feet), exposing coral reefs and damaging marine ecosystems.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said Wednesday’s offshore earthquake was felt across southern Mindanao and the SOCCSKSARGEN region. Hundreds of thousands of residents experienced weak shaking, while initial assessments found no structural collapses or fatalities.
The Cotabato Trench is a major subduction zone where oceanic crust is forced beneath the Philippine Mobile Belt, generating recurring offshore earthquakes. Although Wednesday’s earthquake occurred at a depth of 62 km, reducing its impact at the surface, emergency services remained on standby for possible aftershocks.
Authorities in Sarangani and neighbouring provinces instructed community leaders to carry out further inspections of public buildings, residential areas, and coastal infrastructure to assess any structural damage.
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