Residents of the southern Philippines woke to chaos and fear on the morning of October 10, 2025, as a powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck offshore near Manay town in Davao Oriental province. The quake, which hit at 9:44 a.m. local time, was quickly followed by a second, slightly weaker temblor of 6.8 magnitude in the same region hours later. Both were triggered by movement along the Philippine Trench, a notorious fault line known for generating destructive seismic activity, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS), as reported by the Associated Press and The Guardian.
The initial earthquake, centered roughly 43 kilometers east of Manay at a depth of 23 kilometers, sent shockwaves through communities already on edge from a deadly quake just eleven days prior. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., addressing the nation in the aftermath, stated that "the potential damage was being assessed and rescue teams and relief operations were being prepared and would be deployed when it was safe to do so." He was facing yet another natural disaster in a country that endures about 20 typhoons and storms each year, making disaster response a perpetual challenge for both government and volunteer groups.
Within hours, the true toll of the disaster began to emerge. The death count varied in early reports, but authorities confirmed at least seven fatalities from the first quake. Davao Oriental Governor Nelson Dayanghirang detailed that one victim in the City of Mati was killed by a collapsing wall, while two others died from cardiac arrests, likely induced by fear during the violent shaking, as relayed by ONE News. The government’s Office of Civil Defense regional director, Ednar Dayanghirang, told the Associated Press that three additional villagers died in a landslide triggered by the earthquake in Pantukan town, Davao de Oro province. Another fatality was recorded in Davao city, according to disaster mitigation officials, who also noted that a few hundred residents suffered injuries there.
Hospitals and schools bore the brunt of the damage. About 250 patients were evacuated from a hospital in Davao Oriental after structural damage rendered the facility unsafe, forcing them into temporary tent shelters. In Governor Generoso town, approximately 100 kilometers south of Manay, a high school sustained cracks so severe that 50 students required hospitalization for bruises, fainting, or dizziness. Classes were suspended at all levels, and similar scenes played out in Davao city, the region’s largest urban center with a population of 5.4 million. Children and teachers streamed out of buildings as aftershocks rattled nerves and buildings alike.
Jun Saavedra, a disaster-mitigation officer in Governor Generoso, described the chaos to the Associated Press: "I was driving my car when it suddenly swayed and I saw power lines swaying wildly. People darted out of houses and buildings as the ground shook and electricity came off." He added, "We've had earthquakes in the past, but this was the strongest." The intense shaking left visible scars on the landscape—cracks in buildings, toppled electric poles, and power outages that persisted in several communities, as reported by ONE News.
The damage extended to vital infrastructure. Several buildings, including the international airport in Davao city, sustained cracks. However, the airport remained operational, and no flights were canceled, according to Office of Civil Defense deputy administrator Bernardo Rafaelito Alejandro IV. Aerial surveys revealed widespread destruction across the province, with houses, bridges, and government facilities all affected.
As if the ground shaking wasn't enough, the earthquakes also sparked tsunami fears. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Honolulu issued urgent alerts, warning that tsunami waves could strike six coastal provinces within two hours of the initial tremor. Residents in low-lying areas were told to evacuate immediately to higher ground. Small tsunami waves—ranging from 3.5 to 17 centimeters—were detected on the coasts of the Philippines and Indonesia, specifically in North Sulawesi province, according to Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency. Fortunately, the threat passed without major incident, and the warnings were lifted roughly two hours later, though authorities cautioned that minor sea fluctuations might continue.
For many, the psychological toll was palpable. The Weather Channel reported that homes collapsed and residents were forced to flee, while power outages complicated rescue efforts. Evacuees were relocated to designated centers, and national agencies began mobilizing assistance. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology warned that aftershocks and further damage were likely, and seismic instruments recorded hundreds of aftershocks in the hours following the main quake, as noted by EarthSky.
This latest disaster struck a country still reeling from tragedy. On September 30, 2025, a 6.9-magnitude earthquake in Cebu province had killed at least 74 people, making it the deadliest in over a decade according to Reuters. Many communities were still in the process of recovery when the October 10 quakes hit, compounding the sense of vulnerability and exhaustion among residents and responders alike.
Seismologists explained that the October 10 event was a classic example of subduction zone activity. The U.S. Geological Survey described the quake as resulting from "oblique reverse faulting" along a fault area estimated to be 75 by 30 kilometers. The Philippine Sea plate, which subducts under the Sunda plate at a rate of about 100 millimeters per year, has produced over 150 earthquakes of magnitude 6 or greater within 250 kilometers of this event in the past century—including 15 of magnitude 7 or greater. Doublet earthquakes, such as the two that struck on October 10, are not uncommon in this tectonically active region, and PHIVOLCS chief Teresito Bacolcol referred to the second quake as "a separate earthquake, which we call a doublet quake."
Meanwhile, the seismic unrest was not limited to the Philippines. On the same day, a magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck off the coast of Papua New Guinea. The U.S. Geological Survey reported that it was centered in the Bismarck Sea, 414 kilometers northeast of Lae, the country’s second-most populous city. Fortunately, no damage was reported there, according to local police officials.
As the dust settled and aftershocks continued to rattle nerves, the people of the southern Philippines faced a daunting recovery. With damaged homes, disrupted lives, and persistent fears of further quakes or aftershocks, the resilience of these communities was once again being tested. Yet, as President Marcos Jr. and local officials emphasized, coordinated rescue, relief, and rebuilding efforts were already underway. The hope remains that, with lessons learned from the past and the support of the nation, these communities will emerge stronger, even as the ground beneath them continues to shift.