A powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 7.8 struck the southern Philippines on Monday, resulting in at least 37 fatalities and displacing more than 20,000 individuals. The quake, one of the strongest to hit the country in half a century, prompted rescue operations as authorities searched through rubble to ensure no one remained trapped.
Rescue and Recovery Efforts Underway
On Tuesday, rescuers continued to examine collapsed buildings in the affected southern provinces. The Office of Civil Defense reported that only four people were officially listed as missing, but acknowledged that several heavily damaged structures required thorough inspection for possible survivors or casualties.
The earthquake, which struck off the coast of Mindanao, the second most populous island in the Philippines, caused injuries to nearly 500 people. Many residents fled their homes due to fears of a tsunami. Waves reaching up to 1.4 meters above tide level were recorded in the Philippines, though the only reported tsunami damage was to six stilt shanties in a coastal village. Smaller waves also reached Indonesia, Palau, and as far as southern Japan.
Landslides and Building Collapses Lead to Casualties
The earthquake left a trail of destruction, particularly in General Santos, a coastal city with over 700,000 residents known as the country's tuna capital. At least 13 people died there due to building collapses and falling debris. In Sarangani province, at least 18 deaths were reported, mostly from a landslide that buried houses in the mountain town of Glan, according to Rafaelito Alejandro of the Office of Civil Defense. Additional fatalities were recorded in South Cotabato, Davao Occidental, and on Balut Island.
An initial government assessment indicated that approximately 2,000 houses and 117 government buildings and facilities were damaged across several provinces. The international airport in General Santos remained closed, leading to the cancellation of 63 domestic flights, except for humanitarian missions. About 6,000 public school buildings in quake-hit areas must be evaluated before classes can resume. The earthquake struck on the first day of the school year after a two-month summer break, and many of the injured were young students participating in morning flag-raising ceremonies.
Authorities warned that buildings with cracks could collapse due to aftershocks, some of which could be dangerously powerful. "We cannot force the immediate reopening of schools because we have to ensure the integrity of the buildings," Alejandro stated.
Strongest Quake Since 1976
Monday's earthquake was centered at sea at a depth of 33 kilometers, about 32 kilometers southwest of Maasim town in Sarangani province. It was triggered by movement in the Cotabato Trench and was the strongest since the same undersea depression caused an 8.1-magnitude quake on August 17, 1976, which generated tsunami waves that killed around 8,000 people, according to Teresito Bacolcol, director of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology. The institute plans to commemorate the anniversary of that disaster in August by installing markers to remind vulnerable communities of the need for constant vigilance.
A 1990 earthquake of magnitude 7.8 left over 1,000 dead, injured thousands, and caused extensive damage in northern provinces. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. deployed top defense and mitigation officials from Manila to oversee search and rescue operations, distribute tens of thousands of food packs and construction materials to victims, and assess damage to bridges, roads, and other infrastructure. The United States, a treaty ally of the Philippines, stated it was coordinating with Manila and ready to support response efforts. France, Japan, and New Zealand also expressed support.
The Philippines is frequently affected 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 also experiences about 20 typhoons and tropical storms annually, making it one of the world's most disaster-prone countries.
