The death toll from a powerful magnitude 7.8 earthquake on the southern Philippine island of Mindanao has risen to 61.
The country’s authorities gave this information in a report by local news outlet GMA News on Saturday. Rescue operations were continuing in the worst-hit areas, it said. Authorities fear the death toll could rise further. The number of injured has already reached 1,221. So far, 33 people remain missing.
The country’s Office of Civil Defense (OCD) said rescue and search operations were under way to find people trapped under landslides and building debris. But the rescue work was being hampered by repeated aftershocks, unsafe buildings, and damaged roads. The death toll rose as several more bodies were recovered from various damaged areas.
The Disaster Response and Information Monitoring Center (DROMIC) said about 553,000 people had been affected by the earthquake in the Mindanao region. Of them, about 9,393 are staying in shelters. In addition, 54,274 people have taken temporary shelter in the homes of relatives and friends.
An initial assessment found that 8,865 houses were completely destroyed in the earthquake and another 36,691 houses were partially damaged. The magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck near the Mindanao coast earlier this week. It spread widespread panic and caused major damage to homes, schools, hospitals, and various other government infrastructure.
General Santos City and Sarangani province are among the worst-affected areas. Authorities have declared a disaster-related state of emergency in these areas to carry out swift relief and rehabilitation operations.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report