Mindanao earthquake: deaths and heaviest damage in General Santos
The death toll now stands at 32, with 12 missing, following this morning's 7.8-magnitude earthquake, with its epicentre at sea. The tsunami warning has been lifted. Damage has been reported at the Divine Mercy Shrine, Lake Sebu, and several parish churches. The Conference of Major Superiors of the Philippines calls for prayers and solidarity with displaced families.
Manila (AsiaNews) – The toll from the violent 7.8-magnitude earthquake that this morning struck the southern part of the island of Mindanao, southern Philippines, is getting worse by the hour.
As evening fell in the country, the latest toll stood at 32 dead and 12 missing, while more than 200 people have been injured.
The quake, with its epicentre approximately 24 kilometres west of Sarangani province, caused the collapse of buildings, landslides, and a tsunami with waves exceeding one metre in several coastal areas.
The hardest-hit city was General Santos, an important commercial port and centre of the tuna industry, where at least 13 people were killed.
More fatalities were reported in the provinces of South Cotabato, Davao Occidental, and on the island of Balut. Thousands of people were forced to abandon their homes and take refuge in evacuation centres set up by the authorities.
According to the Philippine Office of Civil Defense, most of the deaths were caused by collapsing buildings and landslides triggered by the strong quake. Initial assessments indicate significant damage to infrastructure, power lines, and communications.
Videos circulating on social media show a crumbling shopping mall, as well as the collapse of a fast-food restaurant and that of a public school building in General Santos.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology issued a tsunami warning for several coastal provinces in Mindanao and the Sulu Archipelago.
The earthquake was so intense that an alarm was also triggered in the Indonesian province of North Sulawesi, where the quake damaged several buildings.
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. suspended classes in all affected areas, urging residents to strictly follow emergency instructions.
The government mobilised the Office of Civil Defense, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, and the Department of Social Welfare and Development to coordinate relief efforts and distribute aid to affected communities.
Experts believe the quake was triggered by movements of the Cotabato Trench, one of three major tectonic systems surrounding Mindanao, which was responsible for the devastating 1976 Moro Gulf earthquake and tsunami, which killed 5,000 to 8,000 people.
The Catholic Church also suffered damage. Among the buildings affected were the Divine Mercy Shrine in Lake Sebu, temporarily closed to pilgrims; the Holy Cross Parish Church in Calumpang, where part of the ceiling collapsed; and the Sta. Teresita del Niño Jesus Parish Church in Tupi.
The Conference of Major Superiors of the Philippines has called on priests, men and women religious, and faithful to pray for the victims and rescue teams. In a statement, the ecclesiastical body called for concrete solidarity with the affected communities, expressing hope to see support for displaced families and the injured.
For their part, residents in the affected areas continue to live hours of intense apprehension. “The tremors were incredibly intense and awoke millions of people," said Theresa Christina Punzo, a resident of the affected area, speaking to AsiaNews. “Thousands of families are evacuating to safe areas while aftershocks continue to hit the region,” she added.
Meanwhile, rescue operations and damage assessments are still ongoing. Authorities fear the death toll could rise in the coming hours, as emergency teams, police, and medical personnel continue to work through the rubble and reach the most affected areas.
Photo: Philippines Red Cross
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06/05/2022 13:35
