Powerful earthquake shakes Philippines again
A day after Venezuela was struck by the deadliest earthquake in a century, killing hundreds of people, a powerful 6.5-magnitude earthquake struck off the southern coast of the Philippines. No tsunami warning was issued immediately.
The earthquake struck at 5:42 p.m. Bangladesh time on Friday (June 26).
According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the quake occurred at 7:34 p.m. local time in southern Philippines. Its epicenter was located about 21 kilometers southwest of Sarangani on the island of Mindanao, at a depth of approximately 52.4 kilometers below the Earth's surface.
Less than three weeks earlier, another powerful earthquake had hit the same region, killing more than 80 people. Following that quake, tsunami warnings were issued for the Philippines and several other Asian countries.
According to a report by The Guardian, the intense seismic activity caused sections of the seabed to rise by nearly 2 meters (6.6 feet). As a result, coral reefs and other marine life that had been underwater were exposed, posing a serious threat to the marine ecosystem.
The country's Department of Environment said local residents noticed the changes two days after the earthquake. This geological phenomenon, known as coastal uplift, caused the shoreline in some areas to extend up to 200 meters farther into the sea, meaning land that had previously been submerged is now above water.
In a statement, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) said that displacement along the Cotabato Trench caused parts of the coastlines of Sarangani and Davao Occidental provinces to rise.
"The displacement along the Cotabato Trench has uplifted portions of the coastlines of Sarangani and Davao Occidental, exposing previously submerged seabed. Mapping indicates an elevation increase of approximately 2 meters."
The Cotabato Trench, located about 50 kilometers (31 miles) off the southern coast of Mindanao, experiences frequent seismic activity. This includes a swarm of thousands of small earthquakes that was recorded in January.