Quake near Davao Oriental triggers tsunami warning and evacuations

A magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck offshore Davao Oriental in the southern Philippines at 9:43 a.m. local time on Friday, Oct. 10, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said, prompting an immediate tsunami warning and orders for coastal residents in several provinces to move to higher ground. The quake’s epicenter was located about 62 kilometers southeast of the town of Manay at a shallow depth of about 10 kilometers, the agency said.

Phivolcs warned that a destructive tsunami with life-threatening wave heights was expected and that the first waves could arrive between 9:43 a.m. and 11:43 a.m., potentially continuing for hours. Based on local tsunami scenario models, the agency said waves more than one meter above normal tide levels were possible, with higher heights likely in enclosed bays and narrow straits. Residents in coastal areas of Eastern Samar, Leyte, Southern Leyte, Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur and Davao Oriental were advised to evacuate immediately to higher ground or move farther inland.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Honolulu said hazardous waves were possible within 300 kilometers of the epicenter but that there was...