MANILA, June 11 — The death toll from the powerful earthquake that struck the southern Philippines earlier this week has risen to 47, with dozens still missing as thousands of displaced residents grapple with the aftermath of the disaster.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said today that 31 people remain unaccounted for, while 688 others have been injured following the magnitude 7.8 quake that hit off the southern coast of Mindanao on Monday, Bernama reported.
The disaster has affected more than 75,300 households, or over 346,000 people, with more than 45,000 residents forced from their homes. More than 12,600 houses were damaged, while authorities recorded 45 quake-related incidents, most of them landslides.
The NDRRMC said the earthquake also disrupted key infrastructure and essential services, affecting 45 road sections, eight bridges, one airport and two seaports.
The agriculture, livestock and fisheries sectors were among those impacted, while power outages were reported across 48 cities and municipalities.
According to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, the tectonic earthquake struck at 7.37 am local time at a depth of 33 km. Its epicentre was located about 32 km southwest of Maasim town in Sarangani province on Mindanao Island.
Search, rescue and relief efforts remain ongoing in several affected areas as authorities continue to assess the full extent of the damage.
