Earlier this morning, the Philippines was hit by a massive 7.8 magnitude earthquake, an event that struck the southern region of the country and has already claimed the lives of 19 individuals, with 134 injured, and with these numbers likely to rise in the hours ahead.
As per BBC News, the southern island of Mindanao was where the earthquake had the most devastating impact. The quake naturally led to tsunami warnings quickly being triggered around the Philippines, but also in nearby countries and as far as Australia and New Zealand too. No such major tsunami has occurred as of yet, but there were some larger than usual waves, including some capping out at 1.4 metres.
Evacuation and relief efforts are already underway, but the quake has been particularly devastating as it has aligned with the start of the new school year in the country, leaving classes suspended.
While the fatalities are yet to be identified, there are said to be seven missing people so far, begging the question how this will affect the overall death toll.