A powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of the philippines on Friday, October 10, 2025, triggering tsunami warnings for coastal areas and prompting evacuations. Small waves were detected in the Philippines and Indonesia following the quake,though the immediate threat subsided after approximately two hours.
The earthquake, wich occurred at 9:43 a.m. local time,prompted authorities to issue alerts for six coastal provinces,from Davao Oriental,urging residents to evacuate to higher ground. While initial tsunami waves measured between 1.3 and 6.7 inches in parts of North sulawesi, Indonesia, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Honolulu reported that small sea fluctuations may continue. This event underscores the Philippines’ extreme vulnerability to natural disasters, as the nation continues to recover from a 6.9-magnitude earthquake on September 30 that claimed at least 74 lives and displaced thousands in the central province of Cebu.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the quake was centered in the Philippine Sea, approximately 188 miles southeast of Davao city. Defense Secretary gil Alejandro urged coastal communities to remain on alert until further notice during a video news briefing. ”We urge these coastal communities to be on alert and immediately evacuate to higher grounds until further notice,” he stated.
The Philippines experiences roughly 20 typhoons and storms annually, placing a significant strain on government resources and volunteer organizations dedicated to disaster response.
Separately on Friday,a 6.0-magnitude earthquake was reported off the coast of Papua New Guinea, centered in the Bismarck Sea, 257 miles northeast of Lae. Lae police official Mary Jane Huafilong reported no immediate damage from the Papua New Guinea quake.
