METMalaysia: 7.9-Magnitude Earthquake In Philippines Triggers Sabah Tsunami Advisory

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A powerful offshore earthquake with a magnitude of between 7.8 and 7.9 struck Mindanao, Philippines, at 7:37am today, 8 June, triggering regional alerts and a tsunami advisory for the coastal borders of Sabah, Malaysia

The Malaysian Meteorological Department (METMalaysia) confirmed that the initial seismic shockwaves produced noticeable tremors across Tawau, Semporna, and their surrounding areas, according to the New Straits Times.

According to METMalaysia, the quake was centred at coordinates 5.7° North and 125.1° East, roughly 747km east of Semporna, at an estimated depth of 50km.

Meanwhile, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) mapped the event at a depth of 35km, placing the epicentre approximately 24km west of Mindanao's Sarangani province.

Following the tremors, METMalaysia issued a formal tsunami advisory for the coastal stretches of Tawau, Semporna, Kunak, and Lahad Datu

Tsunami waves were projected to reach these shallow coastal areas between 10.30am and 12pm today, as reported by the New Straits Times.

Although early agency assessments initially indicated that no immediate tsunami warnings were active for Malaysia, the evolving situation prompted authorities to upgrade the alert, advising all residents in the affected zones to stay away from the coastline and strictly comply with instructions from local safety teams.

METMalaysia continues to monitor the situation closely and has urged members of the public who experienced the shaking to submit their feedback via its official post-earthquake survey form to assist with ongoing assessment efforts.

In the southern Philippines, the devastating impact of the earthquake has resulted in at least one confirmed death and four injuries, with local authorities warning that the casualty count may rise as search operations continue

The intense shaking triggered widespread structural damage across Mindanao, causing several homes, commercial properties, and a school building to crumple.

In Sarangani, public panic escalated as several residents fainted during the tremor, and severe cracks were discovered on a local police building.

Furthermore, real-time videos circulating on social media captured the catastrophic failure of a shopping complex in General Santos City, which completely reduced a Jollibee fast-food outlet to rubble.

Master Sergeant Robert Dagon of the General Santos City police confirmed that multiple buildings collapsed and emphasised that rescue operations remain underway.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) has maintained active local tsunami warnings, cautioning that wave heights could exceed 1m along vulnerable coastlines.

The massive seismic event has put neighbouring nations on high alert

In Indonesia, the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) reported that secondary tremors were felt in eastern regions of the country, including Sulawesi.

As a strict precaution, BMKG is evaluating the potential impact of a tsunami along Indonesia's eastern coastline.

Concurrently, Japan has issued a precautionary tsunami advisory for parts of its Pacific coastline, warning of distant wave activity propagating across the wider Pacific basin.

Regional agencies are advising all coastal communities across the affected zones to remain highly vigilant and monitor official channels for immediate updates.