According to the latest information released by the Philippine Department of Civil Defense on Tuesday, a powerful 7.8 magnitude earthquake that struck off the southern coast on Monday has resulted in at least 37 deaths and hundreds of injuries.
The earthquake, which occurred at 7:37 a.m. local time on Monday in the waters off Mindanao Island in the southern Philippines, had a depth of 33 kilometers and was strongly felt across the entire island. As of 6 a.m. on Tuesday, the death toll in Manila has risen to 37, with approximately 500 people injured and 4 individuals reported missing. Officials have warned that the number of casualties may increase as rescue operations continue.
The cities of General Santos and the province of Sarangani in Mindanao Island have been particularly hard hit, with numerous buildings collapsing, roads and bridges sustaining damage, and local power and communication completely disrupted. General Santos has already declared a state of calamity.
In addition, the earthquake triggered more than 200 aftershocks, with at least 9 of them being significantly strong, with the highest reaching a magnitude of 6.7.
President Marcos of the Philippines has instructed disaster response agencies to continue rescue operations in the affected areas. Countries such as the United States, Japan, France, and New Zealand have all stated that they are ready to provide assistance to the Philippines.