Indonesia has lifted a tsunami warning issued earlier Monday, hours after a powerful 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck off the southern Philippines.

The Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) announced that the tsunami warning “has ended” approximately four and a half hours after it was first issued. The agency had recorded small tsunami waves in at least nine locations in Indonesia, with the highest reaching 0.75 meters (2.4 feet) in Sangihe island.

Prior to the all-clear, officials in the highest-risk zones — including the North Sulawesi capital of Manado, northern Gorontalo province, and the Sangihe Islands — instructed residents to evacuate immediately and in an orderly manner to higher ground, according to Indonesia’s national disaster agency (BNPB). The agency also advised people in nearby areas to stay away from coastal zones and riverbanks and to halt activities on waterways.

The earthquake, which struck early Monday local time (around 7:37 a.m. Philippine time) off the coast of Mindanao near Sarangani province, was felt weakly in parts of Indonesia for two to three seconds. Its epicenter was located in the Celebes Sea, with varying depth reports from different agencies.

In the Philippines, the quake caused significant damage, collapsing buildings including a Jollibee fast-food restaurant in General Santos City. Reports indicate at least several deaths (with some sources citing 3 to 12 fatalities), more than 200 injuries, and people missing, along with power outages and structural damage across Mindanao. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered immediate government response efforts and announced school closures in affected provinces.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center had earlier warned of possible waves up to 3 meters (about 10 feet) along some Philippine coasts and up to 1 meter in parts of Indonesia and Malaysia. Minor tsunami waves, around 0.8–1 meter, were observed in certain Philippine coastal areas as well.

Authorities in Japan also issued advisories for potential smaller waves in some southern islands. No major damage or casualties have been widely reported in Indonesia so far, though tremors were felt in North Sulawesi and North Maluku provinces.

Indonesia and the Philippines sit along the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” a highly seismic zone where frequent earthquakes and volcanic activity occur. The region remains scarred by the devastating 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami triggered by a 9.1-magnitude quake off Aceh, Indonesia, which killed more than 170,000 people in the country alone.

As of Monday afternoon, the tsunami threats have been lifted across the affected areas, but officials continue to monitor for aftershocks. Residents are advised to remain vigilant and follow local authorities’ guidance. Disaster response teams in both countries are assessing full impacts. (ILKHA)