TOKYO - A powerful earthquake struck off Mindanao Island in the southern Philippines at 8:38 a.m. (Japan time) on June 8th, generating tsunami waves across parts of the Pacific, causing building collapses and casualties near the epicenter, and prompting the Japan Meteorological Agency to issue a tsunami advisory for a wide stretch of Japan's Pacific coastline.
At 9:05 a.m., the Japan Meteorological Agency issued a tsunami advisory for coastal areas facing the Pacific Ocean, extending from Ibaraki Prefecture to Okinawa Prefecture. The agency forecast tsunami waves of up to 1 meter in height, with expected arrival times including around 11:00 a.m. for the Miyakojima and Yaeyama regions and approximately 1:30 p.m. for Ibaraki Prefecture.
The earthquake generated tsunami waves that spread across the Pacific. In Indonesia, the highest recorded wave reached 0.83 meters at a monitoring station south of the epicentral area. Officials cautioned that tsunami waves can continue arriving for an extended period and may reflect off coastlines and underwater terrain, producing additional waves of similar or even greater height.
Tsunami waves were also observed along parts of Japan's Pacific coast. Authorities urged residents to stay away from beaches, ports, seawalls, river mouths, and other coastal areas until all advisories are lifted, warning that even relatively small tsunami waves can pose a danger through strong currents and repeated surges.
The distant earthquake also briefly triggered an Emergency Earthquake Warning in Japan. Initial seismic data was interpreted as indicating a quake closer to the country, prompting a preliminary alert. The warning was later canceled after further analysis confirmed that the source was the large earthquake near the Philippines.
Officials emphasized that such cancellations are a normal part of Japan's earthquake early warning system, which is designed to issue alerts as quickly as possible based on the first available seismic data.
The Japan Meteorological Agency held a news conference from 10:30 a.m. and continued to monitor tsunami activity, urging the public not to enter the sea or approach the coastline until authorities announce that the tsunami threat has passed.
Source: Kyodo
