Death Toll from Philippines Earthquake Hits 53
Bureau of Fire Protection spokesperson Fire Superintendent Anthony Arroyo confirmed that 53 bodies had been recovered so far, with a number of victims still awaiting identification, a news outlet reported. Rescue teams are simultaneously searching for 17 people still unaccounted for.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council placed the injury toll at 487, according to local outlet Philstar.
A regional breakdown of fatalities shows 33 deaths recorded in Region 12 and 12 in Region 11, though authorities cautioned that both figures remain subject to verification as operations continue.
Widespread Destruction Across Mindanao
The quake struck at 7:37 a.m. local time Monday (2337 GMT Sunday), its epicentre located off the coast of Sarangani province. The sheer force of the tremor brought buildings crashing down, knocked out power and water services across wide swaths of Mindanao, and set off at least 10 landslides — several of them concentrated in the island's southern regions.
With search, rescue and retrieval operations still actively underway across multiple affected areas, officials have not ruled out a further rise in casualties as teams reach previously inaccessible zones.
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