Small tsunami waves of 3.5 to 17 centimeters (1.3 to 6.7 inches) in height were seen in North Sulawesi province, and local residents were warned to stay away from the sea and river banks.
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The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said that the threat of a tsunami caused by a powerful 7.6 magnitude earthquake in the southern Philippines on Friday morning has ended. Small waves were initially seen in some coastal areas of Indonesia and the Philippines, with tide levels reported to have reached about 17 centimeters (6.7 inches) in Indonesia's North Sulawesi province.
According to the center in Honolulu, there is a possibility that there will be a slight fluctuation in the sea for about two hours after the earthquake. A detailed assessment of the damage caused by the earthquake is ongoing. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. informed that rescue and relief teams are being prepared in the affected areas and will be deployed once the situation is safe.
According to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, the earthquake occurred at a depth of 10 kilometers in the sea about 62 kilometers southeast of the city of Mane in Davao Oriental province. Jun Saavedra, Davao Oriental's government disaster mitigation officer, told The Associated Press, "I was driving a car and suddenly the ground shook and I saw the power lines shaking uncontrollably. People ran out of houses and buildings after the power went out."
According to him, this earthquake was more powerful than the previous ones, which damaged many buildings including schools. According to Saavedra, at least 50 students who felt dizzy and fainted due to the earthquake were sent to the hospital by ambulance. All levels of classes have also been suspended in the city of Generoso, about 100 kilometers south of Mane.
Schools were also evacuated in Davao City (population about 5.4 million). This city is the largest city near the epicenter of the earthquake, which is about 250 kilometers west of Davao Oriental province. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Honolulu warned that dangerous waves could occur in coastal areas around 300 kilometers from the epicenter.
In some coasts of the Philippines, waves up to three meters (10 feet) above the normal tide can be seen, and small but significant waves can also be seen in Indonesia and Palau. According to Civil Defense Deputy Administrator Bernardo Rafaelito Alejandro IV, after the earthquake hit at 9:43 a.m., six coastal provinces in Davao Oriental were immediately urged to move to higher ground and be alert because of the threat of a tsunami.
He said through a video message, "We request these coastal communities to remain on high ground until further notice." He also urged boat owners in ports and coastal areas to keep their boats safe and stay away from the beach.
Indonesia's Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency confirmed small tsunami waves of 3.5 to 17 centimeters (1.3 to 6.7 inches) in North Sulawesi province and warned local residents to stay away from seas and river banks. Earlier on September 30, another powerful earthquake of magnitude 6.9 struck the Philippines, killing 74 people and displacing thousands in the central province of Cebu, especially Bogo town and surrounding areas.
The Philippines is one of the most disaster-sensitive countries in the world, located in the Pacific Ocean's 'Ring of Fire', that is, in the seismic and volcanic arc. As about 20 storms and natural disasters occur here every year, the government and volunteer groups are constantly ready for rescue and relief work.
