Rescuers are racing against time scouring the ruins of collapsed buildings across the southern Philippines.
This follows a powerful magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck off the coast of Mindanao on Monday morning, marking the strongest tremor to hit the country in half a century.
The disaster has claimed at least 37 lives and left nearly 500 people injured.
Thousands of families have been forced to flee their homes with more than 20,000 people now seeking safety in emergency shelters.
The destruction is widespread hitting the coastal city of General Santos and surrounding provinces where landslides and falling debris have caused significant damage to houses and critical infrastructure.
With many buildings still unstable, officials are prioritizing safety over a quick return to normalcy.
Regarding the urgent need to inspect damaged schools, Rafaelito Alejandro of the Office of Civil Defense stated, “We cannot force the immediate reopening of schools because we have to ensure the integrity of the buildings.”
While authorities continue to search for those still missing, they have warned residents to remain cautious of powerful aftershocks.
The government is currently coordinating emergency aid including food and construction materials to support the thousands of displaced victims.
