The death toll from the powerful earthquake that struck the southern Philippines earlier this week has risen to at least 45, while rescue teams continue searching for missing people amid persistent aftershocks and widespread damage across Mindanao.
Authorities said at least 17 people remain missing and more than 600 others have been injured following the magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck off the coast of Sarangani province on June 8. The quake, one of the strongest to hit the Philippines in decades, triggered building collapses, landslides and temporary tsunami warnings across parts of Southeast Asia.
Search-and-rescue operations continued on Wednesday as emergency crews worked through damaged structures and debris fields in some of the hardest-hit communities. Officials said thousands of aftershocks have complicated recovery efforts and forced repeated evacuations in affected areas.
General Santos City and surrounding parts of Sarangani province suffered some of the most extensive damage. Authorities reported damage to thousands of homes, schools, roads and public buildings, while transportation and utility services remained disrupted in several communities.
More than 25,000 people have been displaced, with many residents staying in temporary shelters as engineers assess the safety of damaged structures. Officials have urged residents to avoid entering compromised buildings because of the ongoing risk posed by strong aftershocks.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. visited quake-affected areas on June 10, meeting with local officials, disaster-response personnel and families impacted by the disaster. During the visit, Marcos pledged continued government support and emphasized the need to accelerate relief and recovery operations in the hardest-hit regions.
The earthquake struck near the Cotabato Trench off the southern coast of Mindanao and was felt across large portions of the Philippines, as well as parts of Indonesia. Tsunami warnings issued in several countries were later lifted after officials determined that the threat had diminished.
Seismologists have recorded more than 2,000 aftershocks since the initial quake, underscoring the continuing risks facing affected communities. Disaster officials said search, rescue and damage-assessment operations remain ongoing as authorities work to restore services and provide assistance to displaced residents.
The Philippines sits along the Pacific Ring of Fire, one of the world's most seismically active regions, making the country particularly vulnerable to earthquakes and volcanic activity. The latest disaster ranks among the most significant earthquakes to strike the country in recent years and has prompted a large-scale national response.
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