Image source, Getty Images

Early on Friday, residents in the Philippines and Indonesia were left reeling after an earthquake struck off the coast of the Philippines' Mindanao region - triggering fears of a tsunami.

Here's what has happened so far:

• After the magnitude-7.4 earthquake struck at 09:43 Philippine time (01:43 GMT), authorities issued tsunami warnings in several areas, including the Philippines' southern Mindanao region and Indonesia's North Sulawesi
• Two hours later, the US Pacific Tsunami Warning Center lifted its tsunami alert. Earlier it warned of tsunami waves reaching up to 3m above normal levels along some Philippine coasts
• The Philippines also lifted its tsunami warning later, after recording a wave of around 30cm in the coastal city of Tandag

• Indonesian authorities have recorded minor tsunamis, ranging from 3.5cm to 17cm, in North Sulawesi. They've urged people to remain calm

• One woman died in the Philippines' Mati city after being hit by falling debris, local officials say.

• Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos says search and rescue operations will be deployed as soon as it's safe to do so

• The quake comes at a time when the Philippines is still reeling from a string of natural disasters in recent weeks, from a deadly earthquake in Cebu province to typhoons in the northern and central regions

We're pausing our live coverage now, but you can get the latest in our news story. Thank you for joining us.

UN agencies are prepared to help if the Philippines government needs it, said Arnaud Peral, the United Nations Resident Coordinator in the Philippines

"We just learned about the earthquake in Davao. We will obviously see if we will be asked to provide any kind of support, and we stand ready to provide support," he told a press conference on Friday, the state-owned Philippine News Agency reported.

He said the UN team in the Philippines were assessing the situation and would coordinate the relevant government agencies.

Earlier, we heard local media in the Philippines describing the scenes that played out in the moments the quake hit.

People in Manay in Davao Oriental - the province closest to the earthquake's epicentre - were seen running out of a gymnasium when the quake struck, local news outlet ABS-CBN reported, external.

Teachers were seen carrying chairs over their heads to protect themselves from any falling debris. Two teachers also fainted out of shock and were taken to the hospital, the site wrote.

Several structures have been damaged by the quake, according to early reports, a regional civil defence office was quoted as saying.

More photos of the damage caused by the earthquake are being shared by local authorities. These are the latest images from Caraga region in northeastern Mindanao.

Image source, Bureau of Fire Protection

Image source, Bureau of Fire Protection

Image source, Bureau of Fire Protection

Image source, Bureau of Fire Protection

Image source, Getty Images

The Philippines is especially vulnerable to natural disasters as it sits on a very active part of the Earth's tectonic system, known as the "Ring of Fire" - so called because of the high number of earthquakes and volcanoes that occur there.

“We understand that Filipinos are now experiencing disaster fatigues from typhoons, volcanic minor eruptions and earthquakes. We asked them not to feel fearful," said Dr Teresito Bacolol of the Philippines Volcanic agency in a press conference on Friday.

"We have to prepare ourselves. We have to accept our reality that the Philippines is part of the Pacific Ring of Fire - that every now and then we will be jolted by earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and tsunamis. Instead of panicking, we have to prepare.”

The ring marks a zone of intense volcanic and seismic activity, which tends to occur along the edges of major tectonic plates - massive slabs of rock that form the Earth's surface.

These plates are constantly moving, resulting in earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.

The Philippines, in particular, is located at the convergence of several major tectonic plates.

The earthquake this morning rattled residents across the Philippines' central and southern region. Here's a video, taken from an office building, showing the moment the earthquake struck:

Virma Simonette
Reporting from Manila

A 54-year-old woman has been killed after a fence of an electrical building fell on her, Mati city official Charlemagne Bagasol has told the BBC.

The woman lived across the building, he said.

He also said that there has been "no major damage" reported - just "cracks on some buildings and roads".

Arie Firdaus
BBC Indonesian

Residents in Talaud Islands off the coast of Indonesia have been urged to stay on alert while schoolchildren have been sent home, Hutdam Manurat, a government official in Talaud Islands tells BBC Indonesia.

Home to around 100,000 people, the Talaud Islands are located close to the Philippines border.

For now, the situation remains calm, with residents going about their usual activities, says the local official.

"The sea conditions are reported to be safe, with only small waves and winds blowing from west to east."

Image source, Getty Images

Siargao, a popular surfing destination, has temporarily stopped all water activities due to the tsunami warning.

The island is located on the east of the Philippines, facing the epicentre of the 7.4-magnitude earthquake.

Image source, Getty Images

Virma Simonette
Reporting from Manila

Authorities in Davao region, near the quake's epicentre, say they will activate the red alert - the highest level of disaster response - to deal with the impact of the earthquake.

“It ensures full staffing of response agencies such as military, fire protection, police, and immediate interagency coordination," civil defence spokesperon Carlo Alexie Puerto tells the BBC.

The extent of damage remains unclear, with Puerto says authorities are "still waiting for validated information from our teams in the field."

In Iloilo City in central Philippines, classes have been suspended this morning.

Operations at Iloilo City Hall have also been cancelled, to "allow our employees to check on their families at home and thoroughly inspect the building", Mayor Raisa Trenas wrote on Facebook.

"Please stay alert and follow official advisories," she wrote.

Heyder Affan
BBC Indonesian

Desi, a teacher in Miangas Island, near the quake's epicentre, said the tremors were mild and that as of around 10:00 local time (03:00 GMT), no tsunami had occurred.

She is now back to teaching her class.

Meanwhile, a resident in Manado, North Sulawesi, said the quake was felt there, and car horns could be heard blaring on the streets.

We reported earlier that Indonesian authorities have issued tsunami warnings for northern Sulawesi and Papua regions.

The power supply in Davao Oriental has been disrupted by the earthquake and internet connectivity is slow, the Philippine Bureau of Fire Protection has shared in an update on Facebook.

Emergency workers are evacuating residents in coastal areas and assessing potential damage to buildings, the bureau said.

Image source, Bureau of Fire Protection

Image source, Bureau of Fire Protection

Image source, Bureau of Fire Protection

Image source, Bureau of Fire Protection

The tsunami alert has been lifted following the earthquake, the US Tsunami Warning Center has said.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center earlier warned of waves of up to 3m (10ft) above tide level reaching the Philippine coast. It said coasts in Indonesia and the pacific island nation of Palau could see waves reaching 1m.

There have been a series of aftershocks off the coast of Mindanao, with magnitudes ranging from 2.6 to 4.9, according to PHIVOLCS, the country's volcanic agency.

The initial earthquake, which struck on Friday morning, had a magnitude of 7.5, according to the Philippine seimology agency.

The US Geological Survey and Euro-Mediterranean Seismological Centre put its magnitude at 7.4.

Footage is now emerging of the moment a 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck the Philippines.

Cars and overhead network cables are seen shaking as the tremors rippled through cities across the country.

Tsunamis as high as 17cm (6 in) have been recorded in Indonesian waters, the head of Indonesia's earthquake and tsunami centre said.

"We call it a minor tsunami," he said, referring to waves that peak at 0.5m.

Based on data from Indonesia's seismology agency, tsunami waves ranging from 3.5cm to 17cm have been recorded in Talaud Islands, North Sulawesi.

Virma Simonette
Reporting from Manila

Local disaster agency of Manay town has not yet received reports of casualties but some students fainted when the earthquake hit.

Richie Diuyen, a disaster staff, says still feels dizzy after the quake that lasted for nearly a minute.

“I am still scared and shook. We couldn’t believe how strong the earthquake was. This was the first time I have experienced that,” she tells the BBC.

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr has called for evacuations in some coastal areas in the central and southern Philippines.

Search and rescue and relief operations will be deployed as soon as it is safe to do so, he says on Facebook, external.

He urges all people in affected regions to move to higher ground and to stay away from the shore until the authorities declare it is safe.

"We are working round the clock to ensure that help reaches everyone who needs it," says Marcos Jr.

Image source, Getty Images

The earthquake struck off the coast of the Philippines' Mindanao region on Friday morning. Here's a map showing where that is: