PHIVOLCS alerts coastal areas for possible tsunami after magnitude-8 Mexico quake

PHIVOLCS on Friday warned people in coastal areas to monitor updates on a possible tsunami following the magnitude-8 earthquake that hit off the coast of Chiapas, Mexico (shortly before Thursday midnight there).

JUST IN: @phivolcs_dost nagpalabas ng tsunami information kasunod ng Magnitude 8 na lindol sa Chiapas, Mexico @dzbb pic.twitter.com/d3Kmf25iCW

— Allan Gatus (@allangatus) September 8, 2017

Due to the earthquake's potential to generate "a destructive tsunami that can strike coastlines in the region" within minutes to hours, the following areas fronting the Pacific Ocean were advised to wait for updates:

• Batanes Group of Islands
• Cagayan
• Ilocos Norte
• Isabela
• Quezon
• Aurora
• Camarines Norte
• Camarines Sur
• Albay
• Catanduanes
• Sorsogon
• Eastern Samar
• Northern Samar
• Leyte
• Southern Leyte
• Surigao del Norte
• Surigao del Sur
• Davao Oriental
• Davao del Norte
• Davao del Sur
• Davao Occidental

However, no evacuation order was issued in the areas listed above.

The earthquake that struck off Mexico's southern coast (Thursday US time) was dubbed the strongest earthquake to hit the country since the 1985 Mexico City earthquake that caused the deaths of at least 5,000 people.

Officials said the epicenter was 123 km (76 miles) southwest of the town of Pijijiapan, with its hypocenter having a depth of 33 km (21 miles).

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center warned that multiple tsunami waves are possible. — Rie Takumi/MDM, GMA News