Himalaya Harbinger, Uttarakhand Bureau
As a strong earthquake measuring 7.5 on the Richter scale jolted Philippines’s Mindanao on Friday, viral videos on social media showed panic gripping people as they rushed out of buildings and looked for safety.
One such video purportedly shows panicked students in a classroom screaming in horror as powerful tremors shake everything around them. The students can be seen holding on to each other and trying to duck under the chairs in the video shared from Davos city.
Authorities have warned of potential aftershocks and structural damage in Davao Oriental and neighboring provinces.
Videos showing panic
Several videos were shared on social media showing panicked residents running to safety. In one of the videos, people can been seen evacuating what is purportedly the Tagum City Davao Regional Medical Center. The patients and staff are seen running out of the facility and some are sitting on the side of the roads while holding trees. There are patients on a wheelchair and children among the evacuees.
Another video, reportedly from Butuan City in Mindanao, shows people out on the streets. The residents are heard screaming, with some sitting on the floor and others running in panic. The camera and surroundings are also seen shaking.
The earthquake
An earthquake measuring 7.5 on the Richter scale hit Mindanao in Philippines on Friday. The quake was at a depth of 62 km (38.53 miles), the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) said.
The Phivolcs agency warned of damage and aftershocks after the strong offshore quake, which struck in waters off Manay town in Davao Oriental in the Mindanao region. It revised down the magnitude from an initial reading of 7.6 to 7.5, and put the depth of the quake at 20 km (12 miles).
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has said that the authorities are assessing the situation and search and rescue operations will begin soon. “We are working round the clock to ensure that help reaches everyone who needs it,” Marcos said.
Children evacuated schools in Davao city, which has about 5.4 million people and is the biggest city near the epicenter, about 250 kilometers (155 miles) west of Davao Oriental province.
Tsunami warning
The authorities had earlier warned of ‘destructive tsunami’ with ‘life-threatening’ wave heights and people had been asked to evacuate immediately to safer places. However, the tsunami threat has now passed, news agency Reuters reported.
The first tsunami waves were expected to arrive between 09:43:54 to 11:43:54, 10 Oct 2025 (PST). “These waves may continue for hours, Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology had warned
