The death toll from the magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck parts of Mindanao on June 8 has risen to 61, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) confirmed.
OCD Assistant Secretary said authorities are still validating victim identities as post-disaster verification continues.
“As of 6:00 this morning, the reported death toll is 61. Validation is still ongoing,” Alejandro said.
The number of missing persons has meanwhile declined to 33, down from the earlier figure of 40, while injuries have reached 1,221.
Alejandro said the injury tally includes individuals who sought medical attention for dizziness, trauma, and other quake-related conditions in the aftermath of the tremor.
In Region 12 alone, 532 injuries were recorded, with many cases involving students who experienced dizziness and shock following the strong earthquake.
Authorities said the primary causes of fatalities were earthquake-triggered landslides and falling debris.
Most deaths from falling debris were reported in affected communities, while landslide-related fatalities were recorded in separate impacted areas.
Search and rescue operations continue in hard-hit provinces, particularly Sarangani and Jose Abad Santos, as teams work to locate remaining missing persons.