A 7.8-magnitude quake in the southern Philippines has killed at least 19 people and left more than 100 people injured.
Residents have been warned not to enter damaged homes or other buildings due to the threat of aftershocks after the earthquake.
Robert Dagon, of the General Santos City police, told Agence France-Presse that many buildings were affected but he "cannot enumerate them now because we are busy with ongoing rescues."
Rodrigo Sosmena, the regional civil defence director said twelve people were killed in the Soccksargen region of Mindanao island and at least 129 people were injured in the region.
Officials have issued a tsunami warning for Mindanao after the earthquake and have urged those living by the coast to move to higher ground.
In Davao del Sur, a high school collapsed and a convenience store in General Santos City was destroyed during the earthquake, according to images posted to social media. Locals have reported power outages and have been urged to travel to higher ground.
The epicentre was 13km south-west of General Santos City, Mindanao with a depth of 6.2 miles, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology. The earthquake struck at 7.37am local time the magnitude was 7.8 with a depth of 34 miles, according to the US Geological Survey.
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said authorities are moving hastily to coordinate disaster response. "The national government is moving and we will not leave Mindanao behind," Marcos said.
The president also urged people to heed the warning and to not wait, "your life is more important than anything left behind.”
Benjie Ancheta, police chief of Alabel town in Sarangani said to Reuters that their police building had some cracks due to the earthquake and stated that it was the "strongest earthquake we've experienced."
The Philippine agency, Phivolcs has warned of damage and tsunami waves above one metre which could continue for several hours.
