At least three towns in Sultan Kudarat have evacuated residents preemptively following a series of earthquakes on Wednesday, January 21, 2026.

In Kalamansig town, several families in eight coastal barangays began evacuating residents evening on Wednesday, bringing with them basic belongings such as mats, and clothing to stay in evacuation centers temporarily.

The preemptive evacuation was implemented after aftershocks continued to be felt following a magnitude 5.2 earthquake that struck the town on Tuesday.

Some residents sought shelter in schools while others set up tents in open spaces. Several residents slept on the roadside while others chose to rest inside vehicles.

Several families from coastal barangays in Lebak and Palimbang towns also evacuated.

Some families reportedly returned home during the day and are set to move back to the evacuation sites at night.

Authorities are still determining the total number of evacuees.

The local government said the evacuation measure was taken as a precaution against the possible effects of a tsunami.

Authorities recalled the tsunami that claimed many lives following the magnitude 8.1 earthquake on August 17, 1976.

“Based on the history of 1976 earthquake, maraming namatay dahil we are unaware, hatinggabi yun. Hindi natin napaghandaan, so ngayon ang ginagawa natin, instead na hintayin yan, inalis namin yung mga tao na nakatira sa dalampasigan. So that, just in case magkaroon man yan, walang casualty,” Kalamansig Mayor Ronan Eugene Garcia said.

“Sinasabi lang natin sa mga coastal barangays is kailangan maging alerto tayo wala pa naman kaming iniisyu na tsunami information kasi nga magnitude 5.2 lang yung lindol kasi pag sinasabi namin na magnitude ng lindol ay kailangan 6.5 and above and shallow yung depth ng lindol, doon po kami mag-iisue ng information,” PHIVOLCS GenSan OIC, Nane Danlag, said.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) said up to 633 aftershocks had been recorded, as of 12 noon on Thursday, with an average of 211 events per day.

PHIVOLCS explained that the province is situated along a tectonic trench, which is the source of the continuing seismic activity.

“Alam man natin we have the trench na gumagalaw, so ito yung nagiging source natin ng lindol ngayon. So ngayon, ang PHIVOLCS nagbibigay ng impormasyon na monitoring pa rin tayo so what are happening, so nagkakaroon na tayo ng maraming events,” Danlag said.

“Be ready, duck, cover, and hold, pag nasa loob ng structure as usual then presence of mind paglabas sa structure or mula sa kabahayan natin and then kailangan natin making sa local government natin kung ano ba yung kanilang instruction especially those nakatira sa coastal kasi nga nasa dagat yung epicenter,” Danlag added.