At least 15 people were feared dead in ​the southern Philippines on Monday after a powerful magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck off the island of Mindanao, triggering tsunami warnings across several countries.

The quake came early in ‌the morning as schools were reopening in the Philippines after a long break, with the tremors felt strongly in a dozen provinces and 420 km (261 miles) away in the city of Manado on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi, Reuters reported.

Tsunami alerts were issued in the southern Philippines, northern Indonesia and the Malaysian state of Sabah on Borneo island after the quake with an epicentre located about 20 km (12.4 miles) off Mindanao’s Sarangani province.

Philippine authorities were assessing the ​damage from the quake, with the office of civil defence seeking to verifying initial reports that 15 people had been killed and 129 injured in the region, mostly from ​falling debris.

‘WE WILL NOT LEAVE MINDANAO BEHIND,’ PRESIDENT SAYS

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr ordered an immediate disaster response in Mindanao, an island the size of ⁠South Korea, with agencies directed to prepare relief supplies and evacuation centres and be ready for possible rescue operations.

“The national government is moving and we will not leave Mindanao behind,” he said in ​a statement.

It comes eight months after the Philippines suffered its deadliest tremor in 12 years when a shallow 6.9 magnitude quake hit off the island of Cebu, killing 79 people. Two powerful quakes struck Mindanao ​two weeks later, the strongest at a magnitude 7.4.

The Philippines and Indonesia experience hundreds of quakes each year and sit on tectonically complex parts of the “Pacific Ring of Fire”, a seismically active belt stretching from South America to the Russian Far East.

The Philippine seismology agency said at least nine strong aftershocks were felt across Mindanao on Monday morning, the highest at a magnitude 6.7.

The full extent of the damage was not yet clear and authorities said ​assessments were underway.

Video shared by the local government in General Santos, a city of about 700,000 people, showed the collapse of a building housing a fast food restaurant, with panicked onlookers fleeing ​as a cloud of dust spread quickly through the air.

One General Santos hospital was evacuated due to concerns about cracks on higher floors, while one of the buildings at the city’s Notre Dame of Dadiangas ‌University collapsed, but ⁠no one was inside.

“I had to duck and shelter myself under the table. And it was very long and strong,” the university’s president Manuel de Leon told broadcaster DZMM.

Images from authorities in Sarangani province showed damaged shop fronts with collapsed signs, smashed windows and piles of rocks from crumbled concrete.

MILITARY DEPLOYED, MALAYSIA OFFERS ASSISTANCE

The Philippine military said its disaster response units had been deployed to affected areas.

A video shared by a local school the moment the quake struck showed a large group of children sitting on the floor swaying rapidly from side to side, some hugging teachers, before fleeing en ​masse as a makeshift shelter collapsed behind them.

Benjie ​Ancheta, police chief of Sarangani’s Alabel town, ⁠said the quake occurred during a police flag-raising ceremony, causing some people to faint.

“This is the strongest earthquake we’ve experienced,” Ancheta said by phone.

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said his government was ready to assist the Philippines.

“I pray for the safety and wellbeing of all those affected, wishing them ​strength and courage in the difficult days ahead,” Anwar posted on X.

INDONESIAN ISLANDERS MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND

The U.S. Tsunami Warning System said multiple countries ​could be affected and ⁠Australia initially warned of potential tsunami waves on its northern coasts. Japan’s meteorological agency issued an advisory and said a tsunami of 0.2 m or lower had been observed, with some disruption to ferries and precautionary beach closures.

Witnesses in Indonesia’s Manado said they felt the quake strongly. Only minor damage was reported, according to Abdul Muhari, spokesperson for Indonesia’s disaster mitigation agency.

A tsunami with a wave height up to 0.75 m ⁠was detected in ​some regions in North Sulawesi, where people started moving to safer areas, including residents of the remote Sangihe Islands, ​among the closest to the Philippines.

“They are now evacuating to the higher ground… away from the coast, to avoid the potential tsunami,” resident Jufry Dalita said, according to state news agency Antara.

The European Union could lose up to 1.3 million jobs across key industrial sectors this year due to a sharp rise in energy prices triggered by the ongoing U.S.-Iran conflict, according to European Commission officials cited by Reuters.

EU Labour Commissioner Roxana Minzatu warned that energy-intensive industries are under severe pressure as geopolitical tensions in the Middle East continue to drive up global energy costs.

“Due to the war in the Middle East, up to 1.3 million jobs are at risk, particularly in energy-intensive industries,” Minzatu said during a press briefing.

According to Commission estimates, the automotive sector could be the hardest hit, with up to 600,000 jobs potentially affected. Other sectors at risk include construction, metals, chemicals, and transport, which could collectively lose around 56,000 jobs.

The report also highlights risks to emerging and green industries, with approximately 85,000 jobs in battery projects and nearly 58,852 jobs in solar manufacturing potentially affected. In the steel sector, an additional 4,500 jobs could be lost due to low-carbon transition measures.

The Commission further noted that low-income households may face increased financial pressure, with transport fuel costs potentially rising by an additional 1.4% of income.

The EU manufacturing sector currently employs around 30 million people, while services account for nearly 87 million jobs, underscoring the potential scale of economic impact.

The developments come amid heightened global concern over energy security and industrial stability as tensions between Washington and Tehran continue.

The U.S. House of Representatives has approved legislation providing new aid to Ukraine and imposing tougher sanctions on Russia, in a move that highlights growing divisions within President Donald Trump’s Republican Party.

The Ukraine Support Act passed by a vote of 226 to 195, with 18 Republicans joining Democrats in support of the measure after lawmakers used a rare procedural move to force it onto the House floor.

The legislation authorizes more than $1 billion in assistance for Ukraine, along with up to $8 billion in direct loans to support the country’s defence and reconstruction efforts. It also includes new sanctions targeting Russia’s financial sector, energy industry, mining operations and government officials.

The vote comes amid continued fighting between Russia and Ukraine, with peace negotiations remaining stalled and both sides continuing missile and drone attacks.

Reuters reported that the bill represents the latest challenge to Trump’s influence within his party. It follows another recent vote in which a group of Republicans joined Democrats to support efforts aimed at limiting U.S. military involvement in the conflict with Iran without congressional approval.

Despite its passage in the House, the future of the Ukraine Support Act remains uncertain. The measure must still be approved by the Senate, where Republican leaders have so far declined to bring similar Russia sanctions legislation to a vote, saying they are awaiting guidance from the White House.

Even if it clears the Senate, the bill is expected to face a presidential veto.

Support for Ukraine has become increasingly divisive in Washington since Trump returned to office in January 2025. While many lawmakers from both parties continue to back Kyiv, some senior Republicans have adopted a more cautious approach toward further U.S. involvement.

Ukraine’s Ambassador to the United States, Olha Stefanishyna, welcomed the House vote, calling it an important step that demonstrates continued bipartisan support for Ukraine.