Manila, Oct 10
Philippine President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos has directed government agencies to immediately evacuate people in the coastal areas threatened by a tsunami after a powerful earthquake struck off the coast of Davao Oriental province in the southern Philippines on Friday morning.
In a statement, Marcos urged people to "stay alert and calm," and "move to higher ground and stay away from the shore until authorities declare it safe."
"I have directed the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, the Office of Civil Defence, the Armed Forces, the Philippine Coast Guard, and all concerned agencies to immediately carry out evacuations in coastal areas, activate emergency communication lines, and coordinate closely with local governments," he said.
The President said search, rescue, and relief operations are already being prepared and "will be deployed as soon as it is safe to do so."