MANILA: At least 45 people were killed, 17 were missing and 487 injured after a 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck the southern coast of Mindanao, Philippines, on Monday, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said on Wednesday.
The death toll rose to 37 yesterday and about 500 injured after a 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck the southern Philippines early Monday. According to the Philippines’ Civil Defense Office, the deaths were caused by landslides triggered by the quake, drowning and injuries from falling debris. In Sarangani province, 14 people died when a landslide buried their homes at the foot of a mountain.
The Philippines’ Department of Education said the quake affected more than 8,600 schools, disrupting classes for more than 4 million students and 150,000 school staff. The country’s Ministry of Energy said about 864,000 households experienced power outages.
The Ministry of Public Works and Highways said property damage caused by the quake had reached 1 billion pesos (about $16.2 million) in General Santos, a port city of more than 700,000 people.
According to the Civil Aviation Authority, landing and takeoff operations at General Santos International Airport are currently limited to government, military and humanitarian flights until 6 p.m. on June 11. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said the tectonic earthquake struck at 7:37 a.m. local time at a depth of 33 kilometers, with its epicenter located 32 kilometers southwest of the coast of Maasim town in Sarangani province on the island of Mindanao.
Translated by Chok Bora
