The death toll from the recent strong earthquake in Mindanao has risen to 45, while the number of injured and missing also increased as authorities continued to receive field reports from affected areas, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) said Wednesday.
OCD deputy administrator for administration Bernardo Rafaelito Alejandro IV said in a radio interview that the latest figures were based on reports received as of 6 am.
“From 38 last night, we now have 45 recorded deaths,” Alejandro said, adding that the number of injured persons had also climbed to 630.
He said the reported missing also rose sharply to 17 from only four the previous day.
According to Alejandro, most of the additional fatalities came from Davao Occidental, particularly from Jose Abad Santos and Malita, where eight more deaths were reported.
He said several of the fatalities were due to landslides, while others were caused by falling debris.
“We extend our condolences to the affected families who lost their loved ones,” Alejandro said.
Of the 17 reported missing, Alejandro said 13 were newly added from Davao Occidental, including cases from Jose Abad Santos and Sarangani.
He clarified that the figures remain subject to validation, especially as local responders continue to transmit updates from the ground.
“All these are being validated on the ground, and our numbers are moving. We are continuously getting reports from the field,” Alejandro said.
Asked about reports of another body recovered from a supermarket, Alejandro said it could still be added to the official count once verified by authorities.