Philippine earthquake: Search for life in grounded buildings, thousands of people forced to live in relief camps after tsunami alert
Santos. At least 37 people have been killed and more than 20,000 displaced after an earthquake struck the southern Philippines on Monday. However, rescue operations continued on Tuesday to search for people trapped in damaged buildings and ensure that no one remains trapped under the debris. An earthquake of 7.8 magnitude occurred in the Philippines on Monday morning.
Only four people were reported missing according to official records from the southern provinces but the Civil Protection Office acknowledged that a number of collapsed and badly damaged buildings were being thoroughly inspected for possible survivors or casualties.
37 killed, 20 thousand displaced
The epicenter of the earthquake was near Mindanao, the Philippines’ second most populous island. The earthquake injured about 500 people and displaced more than 20,000, most of whom took shelter in emergency shelters.
Many people left their homes due to fear of tsunami. The tsunami struck the Philippines with waves as high as 4.6 feet, although the tsunami was only reported to damage six huts in one coastal village.
Small waves occurred off Indonesia and Palau, as well as southern Japan. General Santos was most affected by the earthquake. In this coastal city with a population of seven lakh, at least 13 people died due to the earthquake due to which buildings collapsed and got buried under debris. At least 18 people died in Sarangani province, most of them in a landslide in the mountain town of Glan, according to Rafaelito Alejandro of the Civil Protection Office. Many houses were razed to the ground due to landslides.
Relief and rescue operations on war footing
Disaster relief officials said other deaths occurred in the southern provinces of South Cotabato and Davao Occidental and on Balut Island. According to preliminary damage assessments conducted by the government, approximately 2,000 homes and 117 government buildings and establishments were damaged in several provinces.
The international airport at General Santos remained closed, leading to the cancellation of 63 domestic flights, excluding those carrying humanitarian aid missions. Officials have warned that buildings that have developed cracks could collapse in the aftershocks.
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