Manila: A powerful magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck southern Philippines early Monday, prompting a tsunami alert for several coastal areas.
The quake hit at 7:37am, with its epicentre located 13 kilometres southwest of General Santos City on the island of Mindanao, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology. The agency initially reported a depth of 10 kilometres.
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) confirmed the magnitude at 7.8 but estimated the depth at 55.2 kilometres.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said tsunami waves of up to 10 feet could impact some Philippine coasts, while waves of up to 3 feet may reach parts of Indonesia and Malaysia.