At least 8 killed as 2 powerful earthquakes rattle Philippines

ISTANBUL

At least eight people were killed in the Philippines after two strong earthquakes struck the nation's southern region hours apart, while people residing in coastal areas were earlier ordered to evacuate after a tsunami alert, which is now cancelled.

A second strong earthquake with a magnitude of 6.7 struck the Philippines off the southern Mindanao region just hours after a 7.4-magnitude quake hit the same location, triggering a tsunami warning and prompting coastal evacuations.

Sea levels in Bislig City and Tandag City in Surigao del Sur have not recorded any significant tsunami waves. "With this, any effects due to the tsunami warning have largely passed," and therefore all tsunami warnings issued for this event are now cancelled, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said.

The 6.7 magnitude quake occurred at 1112GMT, 23 kilometers (14.2 miles) southeast of Santiago city, at a depth of 61.2 kilometers (38 miles), according to the US Geological Survey (USGS).

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said the earthquake occurred at 7.12 pm local time with a magnitude of 6.8, at a depth of 37 kilometers (22.9 miles).

In Mati City, the largest urban center near the epicenter of the quake, one person was killed when a wall collapsed, city disaster official Charlemagne Bagasol said, according to the Inquirer.

Three people died of heart attacks.

Another person was crushed by falling debris in Davao City.