At least two people have died and thousands have fled their homes after a powerful 7.6-magnitude earthquake struck the southern Philippines early morning on Friday 10 October.

The quake hit near Davao Oriental, damaging homes, schools and churches, and prompting tsunami warnings across several coastal provinces.

Governor Nelson Dayanghirang confirmed the fatalities, saying victims were trapped inside collapsed houses, while emergency tents were set up for hospital patients after structural damage.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said rescue teams were “working round the clock to ensure that help reaches everyone who needs it".

Beth Del-gado from Christian Charity World Vision, who is currently on the ground, told Premier Christian News that she saw "children from the school running outside from the classrooms crying and some fainted also".

She added that she is "a little bit scared for tonight", as the community is expecting after-shocks from the quake, and is hoping for a "safe space" for the children to shelter.

Local official Jun Saavedra described it as “the strongest” quake they had ever experienced, with dozens of students treated for panic-related injuries.

Although tsunami alerts have since been lifted, after-shocks continue to shake the region, which lies on the Pacific “Ring of Fire”, one of the world’s most active earthquake zones.