MANILA - At least one person was killed and four others were injured following earthquakes that struck the Philippines, according to local media reports on Monday.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said a magnitude 7.8 offshore earthquake hit waters in the southern Philippines on Monday morning, and warned of a tsunami.

The institute said the tectonic earthquake occurred at 7:37 am local time at a depth of 33 km, with the epicenter 32 km southwest of the coast of the Maasim town of Sarangani province in Mindanao island.

The institute issued a tsunami warning to nine coastal provinces, strongly advising residents in those areas to immediately evacuate to higher ground or move farther inland following the quake.

It is forecast that the first tsunami waves will arrive on Monday morning and continue for hours.

The local media reported that the quake damaged some buildings and caused a power outage. Tremors were felt in neighboring provinces.

The Philippines experiences frequent seismic activity due to its location along the Pacific "Ring of Fire", a zone of major tectonic plate boundaries known for earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.