The magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck on June 8 near the Cotabato Trench off Mindanao, triggering landslides, damaging infrastructure and causing widespread displacement. Scientists say the quake also generated significant coastal uplift, a geological process in which tectonic forces force sections of land upward.

Initial assessments by Philippine seismologists indicate that parts of the seabed rose by as much as two meters, extending the shoreline by up to 200 meters in some areas and transforming previously submerged coral reefs into exposed stretches of land.

“What they see now is their new coastline,” said Nane Danlag of the Philippine seismology agency, adding that the changes are permanent.

The affected zone stretches across nearly 100 kilometers of coastline between communities in southern Mindanao, according to preliminary surveys.

Residents described witnessing the transformation as it unfolded. Arsenio Butil Jr., a fisherman and pastor from Sarangani province’s Glan municipality, said the sea repeatedly receded and returned during the earthquake.

“What I saw at the shoreline was that the water receded. After a while, I saw it slowly returning. And then it receded again. Maybe three or four times,” he said.

The newly elevated coastline has left fishing boats stranded far from the water and exposed large expanses of coral that had previously been underwater.

The geological shift has also heightened anxiety among residents already traumatized by the disaster. In a hillside evacuation site near the coast, around 100 displaced villagers continued to shelter in temporary conditions more than a week after the earthquake.

Many fear that further seismic activity could trigger a tsunami despite reassurances from experts.

“What if the sea surges forward? That is what everyone fears,” said Datu Atom Malimpnig, a local community leader whose village was heavily affected.

The changes are also threatening tourism-dependent businesses. Resort operators along the coast say the exposed coral and shallower waters have altered beachfront landscapes that once attracted visitors.

Edzel Baylon, an employee at the Isla Jardin del Mar resort, said the area’s white-sand beaches are now separated from the sea by broad stretches of uplifted coral.

“It has a huge effect on the resort, because the main draw for customers is the sea,” Baylon said.

Seismologists noted that the Cotabato Trench is among the Philippines’ most active seismic zones. Thousands of smaller tremors were recorded in the area earlier this year, and authorities have logged more than 8,500 aftershocks since the June 8 earthquake.

Scientists say the coastal uplift is part of a natural tectonic process that has shaped the region over thousands of years, although the scale of the changes has been striking for residents witnessing the transformation firsthand.

With aftershocks continuing across the region, many families remain reluctant to rebuild homes damaged by the earthquake, citing concerns about cracked ground and the possibility of further strong tremors.

The request came three days after a magnitude 7.8 offshore earthquake struck near the southern province of Sarangani, killing at least 47 people, injuring 688 and leaving 31 others missing, according to disaster management officials.

More than 45,000 residents remained displaced, with roughly half staying in emergency shelters, after the quake damaged more than 12,600 homes across farming towns and urban centers in the affected region. Provincial authorities said many residents were reluctant to return home because of continuing aftershocks.

The hardest-hit province was Sarangani, where 20 fatalities were reported, most linked to a landslide that buried homes in the coastal municipality of Glan, according to the Office of Civil Defense.

Glan Mayor Victor James Yap said 10 of the town’s 31 villages remained inaccessible, largely due to landslides that blocked roads and cut off transport links. The municipality, home to more than 100,000 residents, continued to face severe logistical challenges in distributing aid.

“We need food and water but it’s difficult to transport them to some of our villages which remain isolated,” Yap told DZMM radio, urging the government to deploy air force helicopters to reach communities cut off from ground access.

Yap said a major road leading into the town had reopened, allowing fuel deliveries to resume as early as Thursday. However, electricity had yet to be restored and cellular communication services remained unreliable across parts of the municipality.

Most earthquake-related deaths were caused by collapsing structures, falling debris and landslides in Sarangani, General Santos City and the neighboring provinces of South Cotabato and Davao Occidental.
The disaster also triggered coastal hazards. Two swimmers drowned and another remained missing after being swept out to sea near General Santos shortly after the quake.

Authorities recorded waves reaching up to 1.4 meters above normal tide levels in parts of the southern Philippines, while smaller sea surges were detected in Indonesia, Palau and southern Japan.

The earthquake ranks among the strongest to strike the Philippines in the last five decades. It follows the magnitude 8.1 earthquake and tsunami of August 1976, one of the country’s deadliest natural disasters, which killed about 8,000 people.

The Philippines lies along the Pacific Ring of Fire, a seismically active zone where frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occur due to the movement of major tectonic plates.

The quake, the strongest to hit the Philippines this year, struck off the coast of Mindanao island at 7:37 a.m. local time, causing widespread panic and disruption across several southern provinces.

Authorities said the death toll rose after at least 17 fatalities were reported in Sarangani province, where a landslide buried homes in the mountainous town of Glan.Rene Punzalan, a disaster mitigation official in Sarangani, said 13 villagers were killed in the landslide, while four others died elsewhere in the province.

The new casualties brought the overall death toll from the earthquake to at least 32.The earthquake damaged buildings, disrupted transportation and displaced thousands of residents. Philippine disaster officials said most fatalities were caused by collapsing structures, landslides and falling debris across the provinces of Sarangani, South Cotabato, Davao Occidental and nearby Balut Island.

In General Santos City, a regional commercial hub with a population of more than 700,000, several buildings were severely damaged or collapsed, including a popular fast-food restaurant. Seven people were reported killed in the city, while police said at least 12 others remained missing.

Search and rescue operations were underway at damaged structures, including a warehouse and commercial buildings, according to emergency responders.President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered the suspension of classes in affected areas and directed national disaster agencies to mobilize emergency assistance.

Officials said more than 100 students suffered minor injuries or fainted during school flag-raising ceremonies as the quake struck shortly after public schools reopened following the summer break.The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said the earthquake occurred near Maasim town in Sarangani province at a depth of about 33 kilometers.

The U.S. Geological Survey estimated the depth at 55 kilometers, differences that are common during initial assessments.Authorities recorded multiple aftershocks, including tremors reaching magnitude 6.5, and warned residents to avoid returning to damaged buildings until structural inspections are completed.The quake generated tsunami warnings across parts of the Pacific.

Waves of up to 1.4 meters were recorded along sections of the Philippine coastline, while smaller waves were detected in Indonesia, Palau and Japan.The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center later said the broader tsunami threat had largely passed, prompting Philippine authorities to lift evacuation warnings by mid-afternoon.

The earthquake temporarily shut General Santos International Airport and led to the cancellation of 17 domestic flights, according to aviation authorities.Situated on the Pacific Ring of Fire, the Philippines is among the world’s most disaster-prone countries and frequently experiences major earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and tropical cyclones.