Philippines has been hit by a powerful 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Mindanao in the southern Philippines, triggering tsunami waves, damaging infrastructure and leaving at least 19 people dead and more than 200 injured. The earthquake, the strongest to hit the Philippines this year, caused widespread panic across several provinces. Viral footage showed students and teachers caught in a terrifying moment during a school flag ceremony as the ground shook violently beneath them. Authorities issued tsunami advisories across parts of the Pacific region, while emergency teams rushed to affected areas. Buildings collapsed, roads and bridges suffered damage, and thousands of residents were displaced. Airport operations were also disrupted, with multiple flights cancelled.

A powerful 7.5 magnitude earthquake struck off Japan’s northeastern coast on April 20, triggering tsunami alerts, evacuations and renewed fears of something far bigger, a potential megaquake. Initially, tsunami alerts warned of waves as high as three metres, but those fears were later scaled down as actual surges measured around 80 centimetres. The quake, recorded at a depth of 20 kilometres beneath the Pacific Ocean by the Japan Meteorological Agency, registered an upper 5 on Japan’s seismic intensity scale, strong enough to disrupt movement and damage weaker structures. While there have been no immediate reports of casualties or major destruction, the psychological impact is unmistakable. WATCH