Location of a magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck the sea area near the Philippine Islands region Photo: the tsunami warning center of China's Ministry of Natural Resources

The Chinese Embassy and Consulates in the Philippines urged on Friday Chinese citizens to closely monitor local weather warnings and disaster information following a 7.5-magnitude earthquake that struck the sea area near the Philippine Islands. The embassy advised residents to be vigilant for potential aftershocks and secondary disasters caused by the earthquake.

According to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, a magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck the sea area east of Davao del Sur, in southern Philippines, on Friday morning. The earthquake occurred at a depth of 20 kilometers, the embassy said.

The Philippine authorities have issued a tsunami warning, with projections indicating that some areas may experience waves higher than 1 meter.

Chinese nationals in affected areas are also urged to remain calm during the earthquake, follow self-rescue protocols, and ensure communication devices are functioning. The consulate emphasized that citizens in coastal areas should immediately move away from the shoreline and seek higher ground or inland shelters for safety, the embassy noted.

The tsunami warning center of China's Ministry of Natural Resources assessed on Friday that the quake may have triggered a localized tsunami near the epicenter but would not cause any destructive impact along China's coast.

The center said it will continue to closely monitor and analyze seismic and tsunami data and release updated information in a timely manner.

The earthquake struck waters off the coast of Manay, Davao Oriental at 9:43 am local time on Friday, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, Philippine news site Inquirer.net reported.

The tectonic quake had a shallow depth of 10 kilometers and was centered 62 kilometers southeast of Manay, a coastal municipality in Davao Oriental, and there were no immediate reports of casualties or damage, the media report said.

In response to a media inquiry from CCTV News, the Chinese Consulate General in Davao said that the tremor was strongly felt locally.