Mindanao: (Web Desk) – A powerful magnitude-7.8 earthquake struck off the southern Philippines island of Mindanao on Monday, killing more than 40 people, injuring over 450, and displacing thousands, according to disaster officials.
The quake triggered widespread destruction across Mindanao, with collapsed buildings, landslides, and damaged infrastructure leaving several communities isolated. Authorities said only four people were currently missing, though rescue operations remain ongoing amid frequent aftershocks.
In hardest-hit areas such as Sarangani Province, some locations are now accessible only by helicopter, while damaged roads and a collapsed bridge are expected to cut off access for at least a week.
Regional civil defence chief Rodrigo Sosmena said continuing aftershocks are slowing down rescue efforts, forcing teams to proceed with extreme caution.
Healthcare facilities have been severely strained. At a hospital near General Santos City, patients were treated outdoors in temporary tents due to structural damage, while more than 60 patients were placed outside another hospital in Glan municipality as a safety measure.
In one extraordinary moment, AFP journalists reported that a young mother gave birth outdoors behind a makeshift screen as emergency conditions persisted.
Mindanao Earthquake Tsunami Warning Issued After 7.8 Quake
Rescue teams continued searching through rubble at a collapsed grocery store in General Santos, where two employees remain trapped. Officials said the operation has shifted closer to recovery mode, though hopes of finding survivors had not been formally ruled out.
At coastal areas, the Philippine Coast Guard searched for two missing swimmers after violent sea conditions triggered by the quake. Videos verified by AFP showed collapsed buildings, including a shopping center and school structures, as residents fled in panic during the shaking.
Tsunami warnings were issued across parts of the Philippines and neighboring Indonesia, prompting evacuations, but the alerts were later lifted after the threat subsided. Small waves were also observed as far as Japan, though no significant damage was reported.
The disaster follows earlier seismic activity in eastern Mindanao, where powerful earthquakes in October killed at least eight people, highlighting the region’s ongoing vulnerability to tectonic activity.
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