A powerful earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 8.2 has struck the island of Mindanao in the southern Philippines, according to monitoring service GlobalQuake. The quake was reported on Monday, although details about its depth, location and any resulting damage were not immediately available.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center has issued a tsunami alert for several countries and territories across the western Pacific following the powerful earthquake.
The alert covers parts of the Philippines, Indonesia, Palau, Yap, Taiwan and Papua New Guinea, where authorities are monitoring the potential for hazardous sea-level changes and strong coastal currents.
Authorities have yet to release official information on casualties or the impact of the earthquake.
Further assessments are expected as emergency agencies gather information from affected areas.
This is a Breaking Story and will be updated soon
