Philippines quake kills 5: triggers landslides, tsunami evacuations

Philippines quake kills 5: triggers landslides, tsunami evacuations.

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — A powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck off the southern Philippines on Friday, killing at least five people, triggering landslides, damaging buildings and hospitals, and prompting brief tsunami evacuations across coastal areas before warnings were lifted.

The quake hit at sea about 43 kilometers east of Manay town in Davao Oriental province at a depth of 23 kilometers, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology. Authorities warned of possible aftershocks and further damage.

Among the dead were two hospital patients who suffered heart attacks during the tremor and a resident struck by debris in Mati city. Two other villagers died in a landslide in Pantukan town in Davao de Oro province, officials said.

The quake cracked several buildings, including Davao International Airport, which remained open. “People darted out of houses and buildings as the ground shook,” said Jun Saavedra, a disaster officer in Governor Generoso town.

Dozens of students were treated for minor injuries after panicking during the quake. Classes were suspended in affected towns.

Small tsunami waves were observed in the Philippines and Indonesia, but no major damage was reported.

The Philippines, located on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” faces frequent earthquakes and typhoons. The country is still reeling from a deadly 6.9-magnitude quake that struck Cebu last month, killing at least 74 people.