Earthquake in Philippines lifts seabed and disrupts marine ecosystem

A powerful 7.8-magnitude earthquake in southern Philippines has caused parts of the seabed to rise by around two metres, significantly affecting the local marine environment.

As a result, the coastline in some areas has expanded by up to 200 metres, while coral reefs and seagrass beds have been exposed above the water surface, The Guardian reports.

Experts recorded large sections of the seabed emerging in the provinces of Sarangani and Davao Occidental. 

Images published from the area show dead fish and other marine organisms stranded on the exposed ground.

According to the Department of Environment, corals, seagrass, and species inhabiting these ecosystems — including fish, eels, molluscs and others — have begun dying in large numbers. 

Local residents were the first to notice the changes and alerted authorities, concerned about potential foul odours from decomposing marine life.

The 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck offshore near Maasim in Sarangani province, southern Mindanao, on June 8, 2026, at around 7:37 a.m. local time, resulting from thrust faulting along the Cotabato Trench at a depth of about 33-55 km.

Casualty figures rose in the following days, with reports indicating at least 61 confirmed deaths and some people still missing, while displacing tens of thousands across affected provinces.

By Jeyhun Aghazada