At least 32 people were killed, 134 were injured, and several others remained missing after a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck Sarangani on Monday morning, leaving a trail of destruction across parts of Mindanao.
Seventeen of the fatalities were recorded in Sarangani, according to provincial disaster risk reduction and management office (PDRRMO) chief Rene Punzalan. In a radio interview, Punzalan said 13 people died after a landslide buried victims in Barangay New Aklan in Glan, while four others were killed in Malapatan.
The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) reported 15 more deaths outside Sarangani, including 10 in General Santos City, two in Tupi, South Cotabato, and three in Davao Occidental.
Punzalan said authorities have yet to determine how many houses were buried in the Glan landslide.
“But 13 was the number of individuals buried in the landslide,” he said.
OCD spokesman Junie Castillo said around 10,000 families from Sarangani and Sultan Kudarat were preemptively evacuated following the powerful quake.
The OCD also reported major infrastructure damage, particularly in General Santos City. Among the affected facilities were the General Santos International Airport, Veneracion Medical Arts Tower, Notre Dame of Dadiangas University Integrated Basic Education Department, and branches of major fast-food chains.
“There are reports of major damage in various infrastructure. Electricity and communications are affected as well,” the OCD said.
All reported missing persons were in General Santos City, according to the OCD.
Of the 134 injured, 129 were recorded in Soccsksargen, while five others were reported in Davao Region. Authorities continued rescue, retrieval, and damage assessment operations in affected areas as aftershocks remained a concern.