Emergency Response Launched for 7.8M Philippines Earthquake
A 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck off the southern coast of the Philippines this morning, killing at least 32 people and triggering tsunami warnings within the country and as far away as Japan. Peace Winds is dispatching members of its ARROWS disaster team from Japan to assess needs on the ground and support the response.
The large island of Mindanao is among the hardest hit, and local media are reporting extensive damage and destruction to schools, homes, and other buildings in its major cities. Anticipated needs for the affected communities include support for search and rescue operations, food and water, evacuation shelters, and sanitation.
An ARROWS team was also deployed to Cebu Island in the Philippines after an earthquake and typhoon struck in September and November 2025. They delivered emergency relief supplies, including clean water, and Peace Winds and local partners have continued to carry out recovery efforts on the ground in Cebu for the last several months.
Peace Winds Japan is considered one of Asia’s most capable disaster responders. It hosts the ARROWS disaster medical team—with 20 full-time doctors, nurses, and logisticians based in Hiroshima—that dispatches on several hours’ notice to disasters in Japan and internationally, often utilizing Peace Winds’ small fleet of helicopters and ships. When the “rescue phase” of disasters ends, they hand off to Peace Winds responders who are experts on relief and long-term recovery–managing evacuation centers; distributing food, clean water, and supplies; organizing psychosocial support programs; and coordinating with local governments to conduct a range of community rebuilding initiatives.
Your donations will help us carry out relief and recovery according to locally identified needs. To contribute, please choose “Philippines Relief & Recovery” in the donation dropdown menu, or click here to learn more about donating to Peace Winds.