Tsunami warning issued for Philippines & Indonesia after 6.9 earthquake hits Mindanao island
A powerful 6.9 earthquake has hit the island of Mindanao in the southern Philippines, the US Geological Survey reports.
The National Weather Service's Pacific Tsunami Warning System
released a hazardous wave alert for all coasts within 300 kilometers of the quake, a radius that includes much of Indonesia and the Philippines.
"Tsunami waves are possible for coasts located within 300km of the earthquake center," the
warning reads.
There have been no immediate reports of casualties or damage from the Mindanao quake, which hit at a depth of 49km at 3:39 UTC on Saturday.
Government agencies have been advised to inform populations in coastal areas of the risk and to instruct them on relevant evacuation procedures, depending on the threat level. The islands of Geme and Tabukan Tengah (Indonesia) as well as Davao (Philippines) may experience tsunami waves within the hour. Davao City, on the southern Philippines island of Mindanao, is home to over 1.6 million people.
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It remains unclear whether Saturday morning's earthquake off the Philippines was triggered by the erupting Anak Krakatau volcano in Indonesia. Both countries sit on the infamous 'Ring of Fire' basin of the Pacific Ocean, where many earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occur.
