Death Toll Rises to 32 After Powerful 7.8-Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Southern Philippines

A powerful magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck off the coast of the southern Philippine island of Mindanao on Monday morning has left at least 32 people dead, with the toll continuing to rise as rescue workers recover more bodies from collapsed structures and landslide-hit areas. Hundreds have been injured, while dozens remain missing.

The earthquake struck at approximately 7:37 a.m. local time, triggering tsunami warnings across the Philippines, Indonesia, Japan, and Australia. Most of the warnings were later lifted after authorities assessed the threat level.

Officials reported that more than 130 people were injured and at least 24 others remained unaccounted for. Around 10,000 residents were evacuated from affected communities as emergency teams continued search-and-rescue operations. The powerful tremor caused extensive structural damage, including the collapse of homes, commercial buildings, and a branch of the popular fast-food chain Jollibee Foods Corporation, images of which quickly spread across social media. Widespread landslides were also reported across Mindanao, the Philippines’ second-largest island and home to roughly 26 million people.

The worst-hit area was Sarangani Province, located near the earthquake’s epicenter. Local authorities confirmed 17 deaths in the province, most of them caused by landslides that buried homes and residents. Power and communication networks were temporarily disrupted but were later restored in many areas.

In General Santos, the city closest to the epicenter and known as the hometown of boxing legend Manny Pacquiao, civil defense officials confirmed at least 10 fatalities. Several people were reported missing as rescuers searched damaged buildings and debris-strewn neighborhoods.

The disaster struck on the first day of the new academic year, prompting President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to suspend classes in affected areas. Video footage from an elementary school in Davao Oriental showed frightened students gathered in an open field while a nearby structure collapsed during the shaking. No children were reported injured in that incident. The president said all government agencies had been mobilized and assured residents that the nation stood behind Mindanao during the crisis.

Seismologists recorded more than 130 aftershocks following the main quake, ranging in magnitude from 1.3 to 6.7. Authorities warned residents to avoid damaged buildings due to the risk of additional collapses.

The earthquake also generated small tsunami waves across parts of the region. Minor sea surges were reported along coastlines in the Philippines, Indonesia, Palau, and southern Japan, though no major tsunami damage was immediately reported outside the hardest-hit areas.

The Philippines’ national disaster management authorities said casualty figures remain subject to verification and could change as rescue and assessment operations continue in affected provinces.