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Powerful 7.5 Magnitude Quake Strikes Philippines, Triggering Panic
10 Oct
Summary
- Overhead cables swaying as vehicles come to a standstill
- Patients treated outdoors as hospital corridors fill with crowds
- Governor describes scenes of panic as tremors rattle province
On October 10, 2025, a powerful 7.5 magnitude earthquake struck the Philippines, triggering widespread panic and chaos. Footage from local media showed overhead network cables swaying as vehicles came to a standstill the moment the quake hit.
In Davao City, near the epicenter, reporters observed a frenzy outside a hospital as patients were being treated outdoors in a carpark, and crowds thronged the corridors. The local governor, Edwin Jubahib, described scenes of panic as the tremors rattled his province, with some buildings reported to have been damaged.
Richie Diuyen, who works at the local disaster agency in the town of Manay, said some students fainted after the quake and that it left her feeling dizzy. "I am still scared and shook. We couldn't believe how strong the earthquake was. This was the first time I have experienced that," she told the BBC.
The Philippines, which sits on the geologically unstable "Ring of Fire," has been reeling from a string of devastating natural disasters in recent years. Dr. Teresito Bacolcol, the director of the Philippine volcanic agency Phivolcs, called on Filipinos to "accept our reality" that "every now and then we will be jolted by earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and tsunamis."
