Seventeen people have been confirmed dead in Sarangani following the powerful earthquake that struck Mindanao on Monday morning, according to the provincial disaster risk reduction and management office (PDRRMO).
Sarangani PDRRMO chief Rene Punzalan said 13 of the fatalities were reported in Glan, where victims were buried by a landslide in Barangay New Aklan. Four others were reported dead in Malapatan.
Punzalan said no missing persons had been reported so far, based on the latest information received by the provincial disaster office.
He said retrieval operations were ongoing in the landslide-hit area in Glan, which has several mountainous barangays due to its terrain.
“Mostly yung 13 sa munisipyo ng Glan, ito po yung natabunan ng landslide,” Punzalan said in a radio interview.
He said authorities have yet to determine how many houses were buried, but confirmed that the 13 reported fatalities in Glan were individuals trapped by the landslide.
Punzalan said the landslide occurred after the strong quake and powerful aftershocks that followed almost immediately.
The provincial disaster office said it is still gathering more details from municipal responders as assessment and retrieval operations continue in affected communities.