Philippines: First images reveal damage after Davao earthquake

Manila: Early images and videos of the terrifying moments when the powerful 7.5-Magnitude earthquake struck off Mindanao in southern Philippines on Friday, with initial reports of damage.

Collapsed walls, cracked roads, and swaying buildings were seen in footage shared online as terrified residents rushed to open spaces for safety.

The Philippine News Agency, quoting local police, reported that some areas reported power outages, damage to structure and communications networks.

Emergency teams are now assessing the extent of the damage and possible casualties following the massive tremor.

Large cracks appeared in concrete or masonry walls.

Phivolcs reported that the quake’s epicenter was located 62 km southeast of Manay, Davao Oriental, at a depth of 10 kilometers. The tremor was tectonic in origin, triggered by the movement of an active fault in the area.

The tremors were felt across a huge part of Mindanao as well as eastern and central Visayas.

USGS reported the quake had a magnitude 7.4, and a tsunami warning was raised in the area.

Some bridges temporarily closed due to cracks. 

Some images show collapsed or partially collapsed walls in residential and commercial buildings while debris and rubble were strewn across streets.

Social media posts show people in Davao City, the main metropolis in Southern Philippines, running out of buildings toward open spaces and getting off their cars.

Classes and government work were suspended across Davao de Oro, Davao City, Cotabato, and parts of Davao Oriental pending structural inspections.

In Tandag Surigao del Sur, patients, including newborns, were evacuated to safety as the tremor hit the city.