An earthquake hit off the coast of southern Mindanao on Monday morning, June 8, triggering tsunami warnings across the region. At magnitude 7.8, it is among the strongest earthquakes to hit the country.
Footage on social media shows several buildings in different parts of Region 12, also known as Soccksargen, collapsing from the quake. In the aftermath, the Philippine National Police’s (PNP) Regional Office 12 has reported three dead and four injured civilians. As of noon, the death toll has risen to eight, according to the Office of Civil Defense.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) warned of possible aftershocks and also advised residents of Soccksargen’s coastal areas, as well as those in the Zamboanga Peninsula and the Bangsamoro regions, to move inland or to higher ground in case of tsunamis.
PHIVOLCS is looking at the Cotabato Trench as a potential source of the earthquake, agency Director Teresito Bacolcol told Super Radyo dzBB.
How Does the Mindanao Earthquake Compare to Others?
The strongest earthquake to hit the region was the Moro Gulf earthquake in 1976, which measured 8.0 on the Richter scale and killed an estimated 8,000 people. Meanwhile, the last magnitude 7.8 earthquake to strike the Philippines was the 1990 Luzon earthquake, which was felt from the Cordillera region to Calabarzon and killed 1,621.
Other major earthquakes that recently hit the Philippines were the Cebu earthquake in September 2025, which measured 6.9 and affected other parts of Central and Eastern Visayas, and the Davao earthquake in October 2025, which measured 7.4 and was felt in the Davao Region, Soccksargen, Caraga, and Northern Mindanao.
Relief Operations and How to Help
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) says that its personnel in Region 12 have begun monitoring and assessment efforts following the quake, while its disaster resource centers in Luzon and Visayas are working to deploy over 10,000 family food packs to the Mindanao Disaster Resource Center to help affected families.
Meanwhile, the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) is also working to provide emergency medical assistance to victims. “We are calling on the public and our partners to support the Philippine Red Cross Emergency Appeal so we can immediately provide relief, safe water, healthcare, and other critical assistance to communities that may be affected in the coming days,” said PRC Secretary General Dr. Gwendolyn Pang in a statement. Like PRC, the non-governmental organization Angat Buhay is also carrying out relief operations and has opened channels for cash donations.
This is a developing story. Bookmark this page for updates on the Mindanao earthquake and donation drives.
Frequently Asked Questions
PHIVOLCS has advised residents in the coastal areas of Sarangani, Davao Occidental, Tawi-tawi, Sulu, Basilan, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga Sibugay, Sultan Kudarat, and South Cotabato to move inland or to higher ground as a precaution against possible tsunamis following the magnitude 7.8 earthquake.
The strongest earthquake on record in the Philippines is the 1924 Mati, Davao earthquake, which measured 8.3 on the Richter scale. The deadliest is the 1976 Moro Gulf earthquake, which also struck Mindanao, measured 8.0, and killed an estimated 8,000 people.
PHIVOLCS is investigating the Cotabato Trench as the likely source of the Mindanao earthquake, according to PHIVOLCS Director Teresito Bacolcol.
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The magnitude 7.8 quake is among the strongest to hit the country in recent decades. It matches the magnitude of the 1990 Luzon earthquake, which killed 1,621 people. More recently, a 6.9 earthquake struck Cebu in September 2025, affecting parts of Central and Eastern Visayas, while a 7.4 quake hit the Davao Region in October 2025.
PHIVOLCS advises residents in coastal areas of Soccsksargen, the Zamboanga Peninsula, and the Bangsamoro regions to immediately move inland or to higher ground in case of a tsunami. Residents should also evacuate and stay away from buildings in case of aftershocks, which PHIVOLCS has warned are possible.
