The ocean floor rose by up to 2 meters in the Philippines following last week's earthquake.

At the beginning of last week, a devastating earthquake with a magnitude of 7.8 struck the southern Philippines, causing a significant uplift of the ocean floor in certain coastal areas.

The Ministry of Environment announced that the uplift was up to two meters, which poses major risks to the marine environment, especially for corals, which risk remaining exposed. The current toll shows at least 61 dead and 40 missing persons. Residents of Mindanao island have observed a retreat of the coastline by up to 200 meters, caused by the movement of the Cotabato trench.

This geological movement has led to the exposure of portions of coastline, coral reefs, and seagrass beds. Images show corals covered with dead fish, and authorities are concerned about the impact on public health. The Ministry of Environment emphasized that marine organisms, including reef fish and mollusks, are in danger due to this ecological change.