A 7.6-magnitude earthquake strikes the southern Philippine coast

Off the coast of the southern Philippine island of Mindanao, a strong earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.6 occurred on Saturday, prompting a tsunami warning from Philippine authorities.

The earthquake occurred at 10:37 p.m. and was detected 20 miles below the surface. No damage or casualties have been reported as of yet.

The US State Department said that it was aware of the earthquake and that it was coordinating with the local government to find out if any residents of the US were impacted.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center predicted that tsunami waves would strike portions of Indonesia, Malaysia, and the southern Philippines based on their size and location. However, the organization eventually canceled its tsunami alert.

Thousands of people were impacted as Okinawa Prefecture officials in Japan issued evacuation orders in several areas, including the whole shoreline area.

As part of the Pacific "Ring of Fire," an arc of seismic faults encircling the ocean, the Philippines frequently suffers earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.