Philippines quake death toll revised after offshore Sarangani earthquake

Officials in the Philippines say years of disaster-preparedness drills helped limit casualties after a powerful offshore earthquake struck off Sarangani province on Monday. The 7.8 magnitude quake left 46 people dead, 38 missing and at least 688 injured, according to the latest figures. More than 45,000 people were displaced, with about half still in emergency shelters.

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The Office of Civil Defence said the numbers of dead and missing were reduced after multiple verifications. The quake damaged more than 12,600 houses across farming towns and cities, and many displaced residents were still unable to return home because of strong aftershocks. Officials said the tremor struck at 7:37 am, a few minutes before work and classes were due to begin indoors.

Videos shared online showed panic as the ground shook, including schoolchildren reacting during flag-raising ceremonies on the first day of school after a long summer break. In one widely viewed clip, pupils were seen screaming and crying as they sat outdoors while teachers told them to stay calm. A tin-roof shed later collapsed nearby, but the grade school in Malita, in Davao Occidental province, reported no injuries.

The scale of the damage makes the quake one of the strongest to hit the archipelago in 50 years, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology. That has made preparedness a central part of the official response, with authorities pointing to regular drills as one reason the death toll was not higher. The event also highlights the continuing risk posed by major seismic activity in a country exposed to earthquakes and other natural hazards.

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Teresito Bacolcol, director of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, said the timing of the quake helped reduce the impact because many people were not yet indoors when it struck. He said the country's efforts to educate people on what to do during earthquakes had helped communities brace for the shock. The Office of Civil Defence has not said how long emergency sheltering will continue or when damaged homes may be safe to re-enter.

What remains unclear is the fate of the 38 people still listed as missing and whether the casualty figures will change again as verification continues. Officials are also still assessing the full extent of damage to homes and public buildings across affected areas. The next focus is likely to be search efforts, shelter needs and the pace of recovery in communities hit by the aftershocks.

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