At least two people have been confirmed dead following a powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake that struck off the southern coast of the Philippines late Thursday, officials said.
According to Karlo Puerto, an information officer with the Davao region’s civil defence office, both victims were residents of Mati City in Davao Oriental province, one of the areas closest to the offshore epicentre.
There were initial reports of damage to homes, buildings and bridges, although the full extent of the damage in the Philippines was not immediately clear.
The quake was among the strongest in recent years to hit the Philippines, which sits on the Pacific “Ring of Fire” and experiences more than 800 quakes each year.
It came two weeks after the Philippines experienced its deadliest earthquake in more than a decade with 74 people killed on the central island of Cebu following an offshore quake of magnitude 6.9.
Officials continue to monitor the situation as aftershocks are expected in the coming days.
Melissa Enoch
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