Earthquake in Philippines triggers tsunami warnings in Asia

A 7.6-magnitude earthquake struck off the eastern coast of the Philippines late Friday local time (August 31, 2012). The quake happened at 12:47 UTC (7:47 a.m. CDT). This strong undersea earthquake has triggered tsunami warnings along coastlines in much of Asia. There were no immediate reports of damage or injury.

A tsunami alert was in effect for the Philippines, Indonesia, Taiwan, Japan, Guam, the Northern Marianas and Papua New Guinea, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said. Japan was still under a tsunami advisory more than an hour after the quake, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency. A tsunami alert for Hawaii was issued and then cancelled.

The U.S. Geological Society (USGS) originally reported this quake as a 7.9-magnitude, but later updated to say it was slightly less powerful at 7.6-magnitude.

Details of the quake are as follows:

Event Time
2012-08-31 12:47:34 UTC
2012-08-31 20:47:34 UTC+08:00 at epicenter
2012-08-31 07:47:34 UTC-05:00 system time

Nearby Cities
96km (60mi) E of Sulangan, Philippines
109km (68mi) ESE of Guiuan, Philippines
162km (101mi) ESE of Borongan, Philippines
176km (109mi) NE of Surigao, Philippines
747km (464mi) ESE of Manila, Philippines

Bottom line: A 7.6-magnitude undersea earthquake struck near the Philippines on August 31, 2012 at 12:47 UTC (7:47 a.m. CDT). It triggered tsunami warnings throughout Asia. There were no immediate reports of damage or injury.

Submit your own Earth or night sky photos at EarthSky Community Photos.