Powerful earthquake shakes southern Philippines, causing ceilings to fall at malls

A powerful undersea earthquake shook the southern Philippines on Friday, causing ceilings in shopping malls to plunge to the ground as shoppers screamed. No tsunami warning was in effect.

The Office of Civil Defense said it was investigating a report of one death.

The magnitude 6.7 quake was located 26 kilometres (16 miles) from Burias at the southern tip of the Philippines, the US Geological Survey said. It was centred at a depth of 78 kilometres, it said.

Videos posted on social media showed ceilings falling at two large malls as pillars swayed and people cowered and shouted in fear. The SM City General Santos mall and Robinsons GenSan mall announced temporary closures. There were no reports of injuries there.

The presidential palace said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. instructed government agencies to ensure the safety and well-being of everyone affected by the quake.

The Philippines experiences regular earthquakes and volcanic eruptions due to its location on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” an arc of seismic faults around the ocean.