Two of the children reported killed were in houses that collapsed, while a mother and her five-year-old son died after being buried in a landslide.

Earth shuffle Huge fissure caused by a 6.4-magnitude earthquake that hit Mindanao late Wednesday resulted to a shift of a land feature in Magsaysay town in Davao del Sur. AFP

Four people were killed, including three children, while 27 others were hurt after a powerful earthquake hit Mindanao on Wednesday night.

On Thursday morning, local authorities said the death toll was not expected to rise significantly with no casualties reported in Mindanao’s major cities.

National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) data showed two perished in Magsaysay, Davao del Sur; one in North Cotabato due to cardiac arrest, while another died in Datu Piglas, BARMM.

Two of the children reported killed were in houses that collapsed, while a mother and her five-year-old son died after being buried in a landslide, local officials said.

Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte described the earthquake, which had a magnitude of 6.3, as the strongest one she ever felt.

“That was the strongest earthquake that I have felt in my life. It was, first of all, different since it swayed then it bounced before swaying again. It was disconcerting,” Duterte said on television.

Also, President Rodrigo Duterte’s daughter said she was at home with her kids “Shark” and “Stingray” when the earthquake occurred.

“I was inside the bathroom then the children called for me as a result of the quake, but they already know what to do since they have taken the drill in school that taught them to duck, cover, and hold,” she said.

“I told the children that we should stay indoors since there is no open space, and there are electricity lines outside,” she added.

Davao City residents were mostly safe as there are no reported casualties and missing persons with only a few reporting minor injuries, according to the mayor.

Mayor Duterte said the inspection of buildings and other structures were undertaken yesterday prompting the suspension of classes.

Another earthquake with a 5.2 magnitude was felt in Davao Oriental on Thursday morning.

A fire broke out at Gaisano Mall in General Santos City following the earthquake after panicky personnel of a food stall left a stove burner on as they evacuated the building.

The President’s spokesman and chief presidential legal counsel Salvador Panelo expressed the Palace’s condolence with families of those who perished as a result of the 6.4 magnitude quake that struck Tulunan, North Cotabato.

In a press briefing, Panelo said the national government, through the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs), is closely monitoring the situation.

“The Palace is saddened by this unfortunate incident and, in the meantime, wishes to express its sympathies to those who were affected thereby,” Panelo said.

“We ask the public to remain calm but vigilant and we urge them to refrain from spreading disinformation that may cause undue alarm, panic and stress to many people,” he added.

Panelo said the Office of the President had tasked all concerned agencies of the government to mobilize, respond and provide immediate assistance to those in need, as well as to study plans on how to rehabilitate the damaged areas.

The Department of Energy (DoE) immediately called an emergency meeting with the members of the Task Force on Energy Resiliency (TFER) to check on the status of affected energy facilities in Mindanao.

Mindanao’s power situation is already back to normal, according to DoE Secretary Alfonso Cusi.

The National Electrification Administration also coordinated with distribution utilities and electric cooperatives. The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines, the concessionaire for the transmission grid, has mobilized its personnel to conduct line assessments and restorations, if needed.

Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Mark Villar said his agency sent teams to assess the damage on infrastructure after the strong temblor.

“DPWH has deployed teams since last night to assess structural integrity, damages to key infrastructure in Davao, Davao del Sur, South Cotabato, North Cotabato, Agusan del Sur, Bukidnon, Sarangani, Sultan Kudarat and Zamboanga due to the 6.3 magnitude earthquake,” Villar said in a statement.

He encouraged the public to report the need for assistance in the affected areas.

“Our hotline number, 165-02, is open 24/7 for reports, inspection requests, and rescue operations on damaged infrastructure brought about by the recent earthquake,” he volunteered.

Earlier, Phivolcs stressed that structural engineers should inspect first the infrastructure in the affected areas to assure the public’s safety.