M7.7 Mindanao quake sends Sangihe residents uphill

Residents in Kepulauan Sangihe, Sulawesi Utara, moved to higher ground after a magnitude 7.7 earthquake shook waters off southern Mindanao, Philippines, on Monday morning. In Sangihe, coastal residents in Kelurahan Tidore and Tapuang ran from their homes and headed to higher areas to anticipate a possible tsunami. BMKG recorded the quake at 06.37 WIB, with an epicenter in the sea 244 kilometers northwest of Pulau Karatung at a depth of 47 kilometers. The agency said the shallow quake was triggered by plate subduction with a reverse-fault mechanism. The government of Kepulauan Sangihe asked residents to stay calm, keep away from the shoreline, and prioritize children and the elderly if evacuation is needed. BMKG monitoring data also showed slight changes in sea level in Melonguane and Ulusiau.