Hundreds of aftershocks have continued to jolt southern Philippines after a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck Mindanao island on June 8 morning, killing at least 37 people and injuring 487. Authorities warn the toll is likely to rise as rescue operations continue.

Devastation in Mindanao

The scale of devastation is becoming increasingly clear as emergency responders reach affected coastal cities and towns; Buildings have collapsed, roads have cracked or been buried in landslides, and large areas remain without electricity or telephone connectivity, according to BBC reports.

“We hope the death toll does not increase further, but we are expecting it to move, but our priority today is search and rescue,” Bernardo Alejandro, assistant secretary of the agency supervising disaster response, said.

Officials estimate that close to 2. 000 homes and 6. 000 public schools have been damaged so far; the Philippines sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire, a region of high seismic activity, making it prone to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. The June 8 quake was caused by movement along the Cotabato Trench, which has produced major earthquakes in the past, including a magnitude 7.9 quake in 1976 that triggered a tsunami killing about 5,000 people.

Personal Accounts

Construction worker Ramel Pato, who was taking his three children to school in Polomolok, said: “When I was about to leave their school, I felt powerful shaking,” adding, “Children started running and crying.”

Public school teacher Cesar Sundo described the tremor as feeling like he was “being vigorously rocked on a hammock for more than two minutes… and the shaking was getting stronger by the second.” He added: “Everyone felt dizzy.

Regional Impact

The earthquake triggered tsunami warnings in Indonesia, areas south of Mindanao, and along Japan’s Pacific coast, forcing tens of thousands of people to evacuate. Mobile phone and CCTV cameras captured scenes of buildings crumbling to the ground and children screaming as the ground shook.

The Philippines is routinely struck by earthquakes and volcanic eruptions because it lies on the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, where there is increased seismic activity. Monday’s quake sowed panic in otherwise sleepy parts of Mindanao. The trench, which is a source of huge quakes, generated a magnitude 7.9 earthquake in 1976, triggering a tsunami that killed about 5,000 people.