Death toll in Philippine quake rises to at least 15

EVACUATE NOW

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos suspended school classes in affected areas of Mindanao while calling on residents in coastal areas to evacuate immediately.

“Move to higher ground now. Do not wait,” he said. “Your life is more important than anything left behind.”

The country’s national disaster agency said reports of casualties were “still being verified”.

In Kiamba, a coastal town near the epicentre, about 50,000 residents had already done so.

“As of now, 80 per cent of the population has moved to higher ground,” Agripino Dacera, the regional disaster chief, said.

“All the villages along the coast were instructed to proceed to evacuation centres.”

The airport in General Santos was also closed until further notice, officials said.

Monday’s quake triggered evacuation warnings for coastal areas of neighbouring Indonesia and Malaysia, with both nations subsequently lifting their alert.

Japanese authorities issued a tsunami advisory for swathes of its Pacific coast, projecting waves of up to 1m to hit different regions from 11.30am (10.30am, Singapore time).