The death toll from a powerful earthquake that struck the southern Philippines on Monday climbed to at least 17 as rescue crews searched damaged buildings, authorities assessed widespread destruction and communities across Mindanao struggled to recover from one of the strongest seismic events to hit the region in recent years.
The magnitude 7.8 earthquake rattled large areas of Mindanao shortly after sunrise, sending residents rushing into streets, disrupting transportation networks and triggering tsunami warnings across parts of Southeast Asia. Although tsunami alerts were later lifted, the quake left a trail of destruction stretching from the southern Philippines to neighboring Indonesia.
According to the Philippine Office of Civil Defense, fatalities were recorded in several cities, including Davao, General Santos and Cotabato. Officials said at least 129 people had been injured, though the figure was expected to rise as emergency teams continued assessments in hard-hit communities.
The disaster unfolded during the morning rush as schools opened and businesses prepared for the workday. In General Santos, a major commercial center on the southern coast of Mindanao, residents described scenes of panic as buildings shook violently and debris rained onto streets crowded with commuters.
Local media organizations, including Inquirer and ABS-CBN, reported that several victims were killed when structures collapsed during the shaking. Other deaths were linked to medical emergencies, including heart attacks triggered by the sudden and intense tremors.
Emergency personnel spent much of Monday searching damaged structures and assisting displaced families. Authorities said General Santos appeared to be among the worst-affected urban centers. Located roughly 60 kilometers from the earthquake’s epicenter, the city suffered significant structural damage, raising concerns about the integrity of public buildings and transportation infrastructure.
One of the most visible impacts was reported at General Santos International Airport, where operations were disrupted after inspections revealed damage to parts of the facility. Airport authorities canceled at least 17 flights arriving and departing from the city while engineers conducted safety evaluations.
Elsewhere in General Santos, a commercial complex housing restaurants and a local radio station partially collapsed. Rescue workers searched through rubble amid fears that additional victims could be trapped beneath fallen concrete and twisted steel.
Questions also remained about conditions on Sarangani Island, located south of Mindanao and relatively close to the epicenter. Communication with some communities was initially limited, slowing efforts to determine the full scale of destruction.
The earthquake struck during school hours, producing dramatic scenes captured on social media and local television broadcasts. At DepEd Mahayahay Elementary School in Malita City, Davao del Sur, students were reportedly participating in a morning assembly when the ground began to shake.
Videos circulating online showed children crouching in an open field as teachers attempted to maintain order. Some educators embraced frightened students who were crying and screaming while others directed them away from buildings. Moments later, a lightweight structure consisting of metal roofing supported by poles collapsed nearby.
Although no major injuries were immediately reported from the school, the footage became one of the defining images of the disaster, illustrating both the suddenness of the quake and the vulnerability of communities throughout the region.
Along coastal areas, fears of a tsunami prompted precautionary evacuations. In Sultan Naga Dimaporo, local authorities ordered residents from 16 villages to move to safer locations after reports of rising sea levels following the earthquake.
Jennifer Senerpida, an emergency response official in the municipality, said water levels briefly surged by as much as two meters in some areas. The phenomenon lasted only about 15 minutes, but officials decided to maintain evacuation orders while monitoring conditions.
Schools across the municipality were suspended as students, teachers and families sought shelter away from vulnerable coastal zones.
In Iligan City, Mayor Frederick W. Siao announced the closure of schools through Tuesday as authorities inspected buildings and assessed public safety risks. Local officials said classes could resume later in the week if conditions improved.
The effects of the earthquake were not limited to the Philippines.
Indonesia’s National Disaster Mitigation Agency reported structural damage in several communities in North Sulawesi, particularly in areas closest to the epicenter. Officials said buildings suffered damage in Likupang, North Minahasa Regency, as well as parts of the Sangihe and Talaud island chains.
Those islands occupy a strategic position between the Philippines and Indonesia and are among the Indonesian territories nearest to the earthquake’s source.
According to Indonesian authorities, at least 20 families in the Sangihe Islands and seven families in the Talaud Islands were directly affected. Preliminary assessments identified damage to 27 homes, two churches and a school building. Officials cautioned that the figures were likely to change as inspection teams reached additional communities.
Indonesia’s disaster agency said shaking was reported across several districts in the Sangihe Islands, including Marore, Tabukan Tengah, Tabukan Selatan, Tabukan Selatan Tengah, Tahuna and Tahuna Barat. Residents in Rainis District on Talaud Islands also reported feeling tremors.
In Manado, the capital of North Sulawesi Province, people experienced moderate shaking for several seconds, prompting evacuations from offices and public buildings.
Authorities said residents in the Sangihe Islands experienced the strongest effects in Indonesia. Many described several seconds of intense shaking that caused panic and sent people running outdoors. Elsewhere, including Talaud, Manado and North Minahasa, the tremors were weaker but still noticeable.
Local disaster management agencies quickly launched emergency assessments to determine whether additional damage had occurred in remote communities.
The differing measurements issued by regional monitoring agencies reflected the complexity of analyzing large seismic events. Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency measured the earthquake at magnitude 7.7, while Philippine authorities reported a magnitude of 7.8.
Scientists noted that such variations are common during the initial stages of earthquake analysis as agencies process seismic data using different methodologies.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said the earthquake originated at a relatively shallow depth, a factor that often increases ground shaking and the potential for structural damage. The agency also warned residents to remain alert for aftershocks, some of which could be strong enough to cause additional damage to already weakened buildings.
Throughout Monday, emergency shelters filled with residents unwilling to return to homes damaged by the quake or fearful of aftershocks. Hospitals in affected cities treated injured residents while local governments distributed food, water and temporary supplies.
The disaster once again highlighted the vulnerability of the Philippines, one of the world’s most disaster-prone nations. Situated along the Pacific Ring of Fire, the archipelago experiences frequent earthquakes and volcanic activity as a result of complex tectonic interactions beneath the region.
For many residents of Mindanao, the earthquake served as another reminder of life in a country where natural disasters remain a recurring challenge.
As night fell across southern Philippines, rescue teams continued searching damaged buildings, engineers inspected critical infrastructure and families gathered in temporary shelters. Authorities warned that casualty figures could rise further as assessments continued, while communities across Mindanao and neighboring parts of Indonesia began the difficult process of recovery from a disaster whose full impact may not be known for days.
