At Least 14 Dead as Powerful Earthquake Strikes Philippines, Pupils Seen Fleeing for Safety

• At least 14 people have died after a powerful 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck the southern Philippines, damaging buildings and triggering tsunami warnings
• Terrifying videos showed school children running for safety as a massive earthquake rocked parts of Mindanao during the first day of the school year
• Rescue teams are continuing relief efforts in the Philippines after a deadly earthquake damaged dozens of buildings and sparked evacuations

A powerful earthquake measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale has left at least 14 people dead and several others injured after striking off the southern coast of the Philippines on Monday morning, 8 Jue 2026. The earthquake struck near Mindanao's Sarangani province at around 7:37 a.m. local time, catching many residents off guard as schools reopened for the first day of the academic year.

The massive quake caused widespread panic, damaged dozens of buildings, and triggered tsunami warnings across several countries in the Asia-Pacific region. Videos circulating online showed the terrifying moments when students and teachers rushed out of classrooms in search of safety. In one clip shared by @straitstimes on TikTok, school children can be seen running across school grounds while trying to follow emergency procedures as the ground shook beneath them.

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Authorities confirmed that at least 14 people lost their lives while rescue teams continued searching for several missing individuals. Emergency responders were deployed across affected areas as reports of collapsed structures and damaged infrastructure began emerging shortly after the quake.

Tsunami warnings issued across five countries

General Santos City, one of the largest urban centres in the region, was among the hardest-hit areas. Officials reported that at least 37 buildings sustained damage, with some structures partially collapsing under the force of the tremor. Several videos shared on social media including one by the account @straitstimes showed damaged commercial buildings, cracked roads, and frightened residents gathering in open spaces as aftershocks continued throughout the day. According to local authorities, one of the fatalities occurred when a wall collapsed onto residents in a nearby municipality. Other injuries were linked to falling debris and structural damage caused by the earthquake.

The powerful tremor also prompted tsunami warnings in several countries, including Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea and Australia. Coastal communities in parts of the Philippines were instructed to move to higher ground as a precaution. Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. urged residents living near the coastline to evacuate immediately while disaster management teams assessed the situation.

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Watch the TikTok video below:

Social media users prayed for the children

Achilles wrote:

"It's their first day of school btw."

100.day.challange wrote:

"This is someone's first day of school btw."

TT wrote:

"Bless the teachers for protecting the children..."

HiroshiRyota wrote:

"Praying for the Philippines from Cambodia. 🙏🏻"

Mrs Cook wrote:

"May God please keep you all safe. 💚"

Yeshir wrote:

"It's our first day of school btw..."

3 Other Briefly News stories about earthquakes

• South Africans were worried after a massive earthquake hit the Pacific Ocean recently.
• Turkey was already battling runaway inflation and relying on rich allies for funding to keep its economy afloat when a massive earthquake killed tens of thousands, razed entire cities and left millions needing urgent help.
• Two people were killed and dozens of buildings were damaged by a powerful 7.7 magnitude earthquake that struck Mexico on the anniversary of two devastating tremors, authorities said Tuesday.

Source: Briefly News