Around 20,000 people displaced by Philippine earthquake that killed at least 37

By Gavin Blackburn Published on 09/06/2026 - 8:43 GMT+2 Share Comments Share Facebook Twitter Flipboard Send Reddit Linkedin Messenger Telegram VK Bluesky Threads Whatsapp The Philippines is often hit by earthquakes and volcanic eruptions due to its location on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” an arc of seismic faults around the ocean. Rescuers searched ruined buildings in the southern Philippines on Tuesday to ensure no one was still trapped a day after one of the strongest earthquakes to hit the country in half a century killed at least 37 people and displaced more than 20,000. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Only four people were considered missing on official records in the southern provinces near where the 7.8 magnitude quake struck Monday morning, but the Office of Civil Defence acknowledged several collapsed and heavily damaged buildings must be thoroughly inspected for possible survivors or casualties. The earthquake centred off Mindanao, the second most populous Philippine island, injured nearly 500 people and displaced more than 20,000, most of whom fled to emergency shelters. Many people who left their homes feared a tsunami. Waves up to 1.4-metres above tide level were measured in the Philippines, but the only tsunami damage reported was to six shanties on stilts in a coastal village. Smaller waves washed ashore in Indonesia and Palau and as far away as southern Japan. Landslides and building collapses caused several deaths The earthquake left a trail of destruction, including in General Santos, a lively coastal city of more than 700,000 people, where at least 13 people were killed in collapsed buildings and due to falling debris. At least 18 died in Sarangani province mostly in a landslide that buried houses in the mountainside town of Glan, according to Rafaelito Alejandro of the Office of Civil Defence. The other deaths were reported in the southern provinces of South Cotabato and Davao Occidental, and on Balut Island, disaster-response officials said. About 2,000 houses and 117 government buildings and facilities were damaged in several provinces, according to an initial government damage assessment. Rescuers prepare their equipment for a search operation at a damaged building following an earthquake in General Santos, 9 June, 2026 AP Photo The international airport in General Santos remained shut, forcing the cancellation of 63 domestic flights except for those on humanitarian missions. About 6,000 public school buildings in quake-hit provinces must be assessed before classes can resume. The quake struck on the first day of classes nationwide after a two-month summer break and many who sustained injuries were young students who had gathered for morning flag-raising ceremonies. Authorities have warned that buildings that sustained cracks could collapse due to aftershocks, some of them dangerously powerful. “We cannot force the immediate reopening of schools because we have to ensure the integrity of the buildings,” Alejandro said. Strongest quake since 1976 Monday’s earthquake was centred at sea at a depth of 33 kilometres, about 32 kilometres southwest of Maasim town in Sarangani province. It was set off by movement in the Cotabato Trench and was the strongest since the same undersea depression triggered an 8.1-magnitude quake that whipped up tsunami waves on 17 August 1976, Teresito Bacolcol, the director of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, said. A building damaged after an earthquake in General Santos, 8 June, 2026 AP Photo About 8,000 people died from that quake and tsunami waves of between 8-10 metres that engulfed several towns and provinces, Bacolcol said. The Philippine seismological institute was scheduled to commemorate the anniversary of the 1976 quake and tsunami in August by installing markers to remind vulnerable towns and cities of the need for constant vigilance, Bacolcol told the Associated Press news agency. A 1990 earthquake that also had a magnitude of 7.8 left more than 1,000 people dead, injured thousands and caused extensive damages in northern provinces and cities. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. deployed top defence mitigation officials from Manila to help oversee search and rescue, the distribution of tens of thousands of food packs and construction materials to quake victims and assess damage to bridges, roads and other infrastructure. Related Super typhoon Fung-wong leaves four dead and 1.4 million evacuated as it hits the PhilippinesAt least four dead, 17 still missing after collapse of unfinished hotel in Philippines The United States, a treaty ally of the Philippines, said it was coordinating with Manila and was ready to support Philippine response efforts. France, Japan and New Zealand also expressed support. The Philippines is often hit by earthquakes and volcanic eruptions due to its location on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” an arc of seismic faults around the ocean. The archipelago is also battered by about 20 typhoons and tropical storms each year, making it one of the world’s most disaster-prone countries. Go to accessibility shortcuts Share Comments Read more Greece: Multiple earthquakes around magnitude 5.2 hit northern Evia Naples woken by strong earthquake as tremors hit city Japan issues tsunami warning after powerful 7.4 magnitude earthquake Emergency Ring of fire Philippines Earthquake natural disaster