The death toll from the magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck Mindanao has risen to 37, while 487 people have been injured and four remain missing, according to the latest situation report presented by Office of Civil Defense Undersecretary Harold Cabreros on Tuesday.
Of the fatalities, 33 were recorded in Region XII and four in Davao Occidental. Authorities have deployed 210 search, rescue and retrieval personnel, with operations continuing in General Santos City for two suspected trapped victims and in Sarangani's Balut Island, where four people remain unaccounted for.
The earthquake also damaged 1,889 houses and 47 infrastructure facilities, including 19 roads, nine bridges, one seaport and one airport. Classes remain suspended across four affected regions, while all 44 designated evacuation centers remain operational despite persistent aftershocks that continue to hamper relief and recovery efforts.