The Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA) said Monday that debris from China's Long March 7 rocket possibly fell within the Philippine Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

The rocket was launched from the Wenchang Space Launch Site in Wenchang, Hainan at around 8:14 a.m. (PhST) Monday.

In an advisory, PhilSA identified the following drop zones: Around 34 nautical miles (NM) away from Bajo de Masinloc, 97 NM away from Cabra Island, Occidental Mindoro, and 130 NM away from Busuanga, Palawan.

It said there is a possibility for the debris to float around the area and wash toward nearby coasts.

It urged the public to inform local authorities if suspected debris is sighted.

The public was also warned against retrieving or coming in close contact with these materials, which may contain remnants of toxic substances such as rocket fuel.

While not projected to fall on land features or inhabited areas, falling debris poses danger and potential risk to ships, aircraft, fishing boats, and other vessels that will pass through the drop zone.

Meanwhile, PhilSA said the possibility of an uncontrolled re-entry to the atmosphere of the rocket’s upper stages returning from outer space cannot be ruled out at this time.

"Debris shed during staging events and the uncontrolled reentry of large rocket upper stages pose growing hazards – not only to other spacecraft, but to civil aviation and to populations on the ground," it said. (PNA)