A magnitude 7.8 earthquake has struck the southern Philippines this morning.
The earthquake was centred near Mindanao, the country's second-largest and southernmost island group, at 11.37am at a depth of 35km, according to the US Geological Survey.
"Based on current information, the initial assessment is that the earthquake is unlikely to have caused a tsunami that will pose a threat to New Zealand," NEMA said.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said tsunami waves of up to 3m were possible on some coasts of the Philippines. Waves up to 1m were possible on some coasts of Indonesia and Malaysia.
Smaller tsunami waves were possible in Taiwan, Japan, Guam, Papua New Guinea and several island nations and territories in the western Pacific.
Residents felt the earthquake tremors in Indonesia's North Sulawesi and North Maluku provinces.
Last year, two large earthquakes struck the south of the country, with a 6.9 magnitude tremor in late September followed by a 7.4 magnitude quake just a week later.
The Philippines, one of the world’s most disaster-prone countries, is often hit by earthquakes and volcanic eruptions due to its location on the Pacific Ring of Fire, an arc of seismic faults around the ocean.
The archipelago is also lashed by about 20 typhoons and tropical storms each year.
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