Philippine Earthquake Kills At Least 37, Displaces More Than 32,000
GENERAL SANTOS, Philippines (AP) — Rescuers searched ruined buildings in the southern Philippines on Tuesday to make sure no one was still trapped a day later. one of the strongest earthquakes The epidemic that has hit the country in half a century has killed at least 37 people and displaced more than 32,000.
While only four people were thought to be missing according to official records in the southern provinces where the 7.8 magnitude earthquake occurred on Monday morning, the Civil Protection Agency acknowledged that many collapsed and heavily damaged buildings needed to be thoroughly examined for possible survivors or casualties.
The earthquake, centered on Mindanao, the Philippines’ second most populous island, injured nearly 500 people and displaced more than 32,000 people, most of whom took shelter in emergency shelters.
Many people who left their homes were afraid of the tsunami. Waves were measured 1.4 meters (4.6 feet) above tide level in the Philippines, but the only reported tsunami damage occurred to six shanties on stilts in a coastal village. Smaller waves washed ashore in Indonesia and Palau and as far south as Japan.
Landslides and building collapses caused many deaths
The earthquake left a trail of destruction, including General Santos, a vibrant coastal city of more than 700,000 people known as the tuna capital of the country; At least 13 people died here due to collapsed buildings and falling debris.
According to Rafaelito Alejandro of the Civil Protection Agency, at least 18 people died in Sarangani province; Most of these were caused by landslides that covered houses in the mountainside town of Glan.
Other deaths were also reported in the southern provinces of South Cotabato and Davao Occidental and on Balut Island, disaster response officials said.
According to the government’s initial damage assessment, approximately 2,500 homes and 117 government buildings and facilities were damaged in multiple provinces. The international airport in General Santos remained closed for a second day and 63 domestic flights, other than humanitarian missions, were cancelled.
Approximately 6,000 public school buildings in provinces affected by the earthquake need to be evaluated so that classes can continue. The earthquake struck on the first day of classes across the country after a two-month summer break, and most of those injured were young students who had excitedly gathered for morning flag-raising ceremonies.
Officials warned that buildings with persistent cracks could collapse due to aftershocks, some of which were dangerously strong.
“We cannot force schools to reopen immediately because we need to ensure the integrity of the buildings,” Alejandro said.
It was the strongest Philippine earthquake since 1976
Monday’s earthquake It was centered in the sea at a depth of 33 kilometers (20 miles), about 32 kilometers (20 miles) southwest of the town of Maasim in Sarangani province.
It was triggered by movement in the Cotabato Trench and was the strongest since the same undersea collapse triggered the 8.1-magnitude earthquake that triggered tsunami waves on Aug. 17, 1976, said Teresito Bacolcol, director of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology.
Bacolcol said about 8,000 people died from earthquake and tsunami waves reaching heights of 8 to 10 meters (26 to 33 feet) that engulfed many towns and provinces.
Bacolcol told The Associated Press that the Philippine seismological institute plans to commemorate the anniversary of the 1976 earthquake and tsunami in August by installing signs in vulnerable towns and cities that will remind them of the need for constant vigilance.
In the 7.8 magnitude earthquake that occurred in 1990, more than 1000 people died, thousands were injured, and major damage occurred in northern provinces and cities.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. deployed top defense-mitigation officials from Manila to oversee search and rescue, distribute tens of thousands of food packages and construction materials to earthquake victims, and assess damage to bridges, roads and other infrastructure.
The United States, a treaty ally of the Philippines, said it was coordinating with Manila and ready to support Philippine response efforts. France, Japan and New Zealand also expressed their support.
Philippines is frequently shaken by earthquakes volcanic eruptions Because of its location in the Pacific, the “Ring of Fire” is an arc of seismic faults around the ocean.
The archipelago is also battered by about 20 people. typhoons and tropical storms occur every year, making it one of the most disaster-prone countries in the world.
Gomez reported from Manila, Philippines. AP journalists Basilio Sepe in General Santos, Philippines, and Haruka Nuga in Bangkok contributed to this report.
