Philippines hit by strong aftershock, tsunami warning, after 7.4 magnitude quake

A powerful magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck offshore in the southern Philippines on Friday, killing at least two people.

MANILA, Philippines — A powerful magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck offshore in the southern Philippines on Friday, killing at least two people, while towns near the epicentre suffered structural damage and authorities warned of strong aftershocks.

The quake, in waters off the town of Manay in the province of Davao Oriental, triggered a tsunami alert for coasts within 186 miles of the epicentre, but the warnings for the Philippines and Indonesia were subsequently lifted.

A strong aftershock of magnitude 6.9 struck at around 7 p.m. local time triggering a new tsunami warning, with the country's seismology agency Phivolcs warning of possible tsunami waves in the next two hours that could be more than one metre (3.2 feet) higher than normal tides.

People living near coastal areas in the southern Philippines were "strongly advised to immediately evacuate" to higher ground, or move further inland, it said in an advisory.

There were initial reports of damage to homes, buildings and bridges, one official in Manay said, although the full extent of the damage in the Philippines was not immediately clear.