SM GenSan to remain closed following Mindanao earthquake

SM City General Santos will remain closed on Tuesday, June 9, following the magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck offshore Sarangani on Monday.

In an advisory, the mall management said it would remain closed "to ensure the safety of our customers and employees."

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) said the earthquake struck at 7:37 a.m. on June 8. It was initially reported as a magnitude 7.0 tremor at a depth of 10 kilometers but was later upgraded to magnitude 7.8 with a depth of 33 kilometers.

PHIVOLCS reported Intensity VII in General Santos City, while Instrumental Intensity VIII was recorded in Malapatan, Sarangani.

The agency also raised a tsunami warning, warning that coastal communities in affected areas could experience waves exceeding one meter above normal tide levels.

As of 6 a.m. Tuesday, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) reported 37 fatalities from the earthquake — 33 in Soccsksargen, including 18 in Sarangani, 12 in General Santos City, and three in South Cotabato, and four in the Davao Region.—MCG, GMA News