Residents in Davao City were jolted Friday morning by a powerful 7.5-magnitude earthquake, prompting mass evacuations across schools and public buildings.

The tremor disrupted an ongoing elementary category chess tournament organized by the Davao Association of Catholic Schools, as participants rushed outside in panic amid the strong shaking.

Reports from various schools in Davao City indicated that students and staff were ordered to stay outdoors as authorities began inspecting the structural integrity of school buildings and nearby establishments.

According to reporter Jhun Suter of Aksyon Radyo Davao, such a strong quake is rare in the area. He said local officials are continuing to monitor the situation as no reports of collapsed buildings or casualties have been confirmed so far.

Suter noted that Davao City is primarily composed of low-rise structures, with no high-rise buildings.

As of this writing, initial assessments have not reported any significant casualties. However, some infrastructures, including the Science, Technology, and Mathematics building of the Philippine Normal University (PNU) Mindanao, sustained structural damage.

He also reported that at least two to three mild aftershocks have been felt following the major quake.

Authorities are advising residents to remain alert and stay away from weakened structures as monitoring and inspection efforts continue across the city.