Manila. A powerful earthquake of 7.8 magnitude occurred in the southern part of the Philippines on Monday morning, causing massive devastation. At least 19 people died in this, while 134 people were injured.
Many buildings have been damaged and some have collapsed. Tsunami warnings were issued across Asia following the earthquake, which were later withdrawn for most areas.
The quake struck near the island of Mindanao on Monday morning local time, according to the Philippine News Agency, the Philippines’ state news agency, and the United States Geological Survey.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said aftershocks were felt for more than an hour after the main shock. General Santos, a city of 7.22 million people in southern Mindanao, suffered the most damage.
PHIVOLC said the intensity of the earthquake in the town, located south of Soxsargen, was measured as “very high” on their scale.
A post on official social media showed a three-storey building, which housed popular fast food chain Jollibee restaurant, collapsing with a cloud of debris and dust. Other photos showed extensive damage to buildings, including broken windows and collapsed roofs.
The city’s St. Elizabeth’s Hospital was also heavily damaged, forcing patients and medical staff to be shifted to safer locations, local police spokesman Robert Dugun said.
Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said relief and rescue agencies were activated immediately after the disaster. He also issued orders to close schools in the affected areas. According to government data, around 32 lakh students and 1.28 lakh teachers and staff were affected by the disaster on the first day of schools.
According to Office of Civil Defense deputy spokesperson Diego Augustin Mariano, 19 deaths have been reported so far, including 16 deaths in Soxsargen Region and three deaths in Davao Region. However, these figures are still being officially confirmed.
Tsunami warnings were issued for the Philippines, Indonesia and several other parts of Asia soon after the earthquake. The warning was later lifted for most areas, but caution advisories remained in place for Japan’s southern coastal areas and some islands. The local administration has advised people to stay away from beaches and river estuaries.
Authorities have appealed to people to remain calm, remain alert to aftershocks and rely only on official information. Relief and rescue operations are continuing on a war footing and the death toll is expected to increase.
Comments are closed.