The Manila Times
(UPDATE) THE death toll from the 7.8 magnitude earthquake off the coast of Sarangani on Monday rose to 19, initial reports said. A series of powerful aftershocks rocked the area for about two hours after the first quake hit at 7:37 a.m., with the largest registering at magnitude 6.7. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology warned that further aftershocks were expected. The quake coincided with the first day of classes in many schools across Mindanao. In Matan-ao, Davao del Sur, a school building reportedly collapsed. Initial reports indicated damage to buildings in the urban centers of Davao, General Santos, Tacurong and Koronodal, and in the provinces of Sarangani, South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, and other areas. Videos posted on social media showed a shopping center with a Jollibee fast-food restaurant branch reduced to rubble in General Santos City, while a school building that officials said was unoccupied crumpled in another. "Lord, it has really collapsed!... The building has really collapsed!" someone can be heard shouting as the school structure fell. In Barangay Amas, the seat of the North Cotabato provincial government in Kidapawan City, residents rushed out of their houses to get to the village’s central elementary and national high schools to retrieve their children, most of whom were seen crying in open ground. The Office of the Civil Defense (OCD) said the death toll was based on initial data and was still subject to validation. OCD spokesman Junie Castillo said of the fatalities, 16 were from Soccsksargen (South Cotabato, Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani and General Santos City) where 129 were injured and 12 were missing, mostly in General Santos City. Of the 16 deaths, two were from Tupi, 10 from General Santos City, three from Glan and one from Malapatan, Sarangani. Maj. Roland Catoburan said two people had been crushed to death by a collapsing wall in Alabel, a municipality near General Santos City. "We have casualties. A wall fell on them," he said, adding officers were not being allowed to re-enter their stations, some of which now had cracked walls. MSg. Robert Dagon of the General Santos City police separately confirmed another reported death and four injuries. "Many buildings were affected, but I cannot enumerate them now because we are busy with ongoing rescues," Dagon said. Three of the 19 deaths were from Davao Occidental, which reported five injured. “Majority of the dead were from the quake but a few were reportedly from a landslide in South Cotabato,” Castillo told reporters. At least 10,000 families were evacuated from Sarangani and Sultan Kudarat due to a tsunami warning. About 700 families and 3.2 million students were affected by the earthquake. Castillo said data gathering is still ongoing as search, rescue and retrieval operations are being conducted. The Philippine National Police said roads and bridges are still passable in South Cotabato as of its 1 p.m. data. There is an ongoing assessment of infrastructure and buildings but power has been restored. Classes at all levels in Cotabato Province were suspended. In South Koronadal, roads remain passable. Because of the aftershocks, it was unsafe for people to go back to their homes while safety officers have not assessed their structural integrity, Castillo said. Police on the ground have assisted parents, students, faculty, and staff during the incident. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. suspended classes in affected areas of Mindanao on what was to have been the first day of school, while calling on residents in coastal areas to evacuate immediately. "Move to higher ground now. Do not wait," he said. "Your life is more important than anything left behind." In Kiamba, a coastal town near the epicenter, about 50,000 residents had already done so. Monday's quake triggered evacuation warnings for coastal areas of neighboring Indonesia and Malaysia, with Jakarta's meteorological agency subsequently lifting its alert. Japanese authorities issued a tsunami advisory for swathes of its Pacific coast, projecting waves of up to 1 meter to hit different regions from 11:30 a.m. Earthquakes are a near-daily occurrence in the Philippines, which is situated on the Pacific "Ring of Fire," an arc of intense seismic activity stretching from Japan through Southeast Asia and across the Pacific basin. Eastern Mindanao was rocked by a pair of earthquakes of 7.4 and 6.7 magnitude in October that killed at least eight people. These followed a magnitude 6.9 quake days earlier that killed 76 people and destroyed or damaged 72,000 buildings in Cebu province, according to government figures. Mobilization President Marcos ordered the immediate mobilization of government agencies, directing the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) and the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) to coordinate disaster response and monitoring efforts in affected areas. The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) was told to position relief supplies and ensure evacuation centers are ready, while the Department of Public Works and Highways was directed to assess damage to roads, bridges, and other critical infrastructure. “I am also ordering the suspension of classes in all levels across affected areas in Mindanao until further notice. The safety of our children comes first. DepEd (Department of Education) will coordinate with local government units on this,” Marcos said. “The national government is moving and we will not leave Mindanao behind,” he added. Officials and rescue teams rushed to southern Mindanao. The OCD said major damage was reported across various infrastructure, with electricity and communications disrupted in affected areas. The most affected regions were Regions 9 (Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, and Zamboanga Sibugay), 11 (Davao de Oro, Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Davao Occidental, and Davao Oriental), 12 (Cotabato, Sarangani, South Cotabato, and Sultan Kudarat) and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Basilan, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao del Norte, Maguindanao del Sur, and Tawi-Tawi, plus Cotabato City). Public Works and Highways Secretary Vince Dizon immediately flew to General Santos City on Monday afternoon to assess the damage caused by the quake. Joining Dizon were officials from the OCD, the Department of Education (DepEd), the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), and the Department of Health (DOH) as the government launched an on-ground assessment of affected communities. The inspection focused on determining the extent of damage to critical infrastructure and identifying areas requiring urgent intervention. Dizon said the DPWH moved swiftly following the directive of President Marcos to deploy assessment teams across quake-hit areas. The teams were tasked with evaluating the structural integrity of key public facilities, including hospitals, schools, government buildings, and other vital infrastructure. Authorities are working to determine whether any of these structures pose safety risks to residents and frontline workers. The DPWH chief also ordered the immediate repair of damaged roads and bridges to ensure the uninterrupted movement of emergency responders and relief supplies. Restoring access routes is a top priority as rescue and humanitarian operations continue in affected communities, he said. He said transportation delays could hamper the delivery of food, medicine, and other essential assistance to earthquake victims. To speed up recovery efforts, Dizon ordered all available DPWH heavy equipment in the region mobilized to clear debris and rubble from collapsed and damaged structures, particularly in heavily affected sections of the city. The DPWH said it will continue coordinating with national and local government agencies and provide regular updates in the coming hours as damage assessments and response operations progress. The Department of Energy (DOE) said that about 864,000 households had power interruptions due to the magnitude 7.8 earthquake. The agency said it is coordinating with the National Electrification Administration (NEA) and the National Power Corp., and has mobilized rapid response teams to assess energy infrastructure and work to restore power. Based on initial reports from related agencies, the DOE said that power interruptions were experienced in several areas, particularly in South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Davao and neighboring localities. With this development, the DOE said it has directed affected distribution utilities in these areas to prioritize the restoration of electricity service to critical facilities, particularly hospitals and evacuation centers. The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) said efforts continue to restore transmission line capabilities that were affected by the quake. "As aftershocks continue to be recorded in affected areas, damage assessments and system inspections are currently proceeding with caution to ensure the safety of line workers, engineers, and emergency response personnel on the ground," Energy Secretary Sharon Garin said. Flights canceled The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines said 17 flights from three local airlines were affected. These included 10 Cebu Pacific fights, four PAL Express flights, and two Philippine Airlines flights, all to and from General Santos City. Operations at General Santos Airport were temporarily suspended pending structural inspections. The agency is assessing air navigation facilities, equipment, and operations to ensure airport safety. CAAP advised passengers to coordinate with their respective airlines for updates on the status of their flights. Emergency response The Philippine Red Cross (PRC) activated emergency response teams and deployed ambulances across parts of Mindanao. PRC said 17 volunteers were mobilized and ambulances dispatched to North Cotabato, South Cotabato and Gingoog City to assist affected communities and monitor reported impacts of the quake. At North Cotabato National High School, PRC responders assisted four students who experienced hyperventilation following the earthquake. WITH FRANCO JOSE BAROÑA, KRISTINA MARALIT, ED PAOLO SALTING, JAMES DANIEL DANIO, BENJAMIN VERGARA
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