DAVAO CITY (June 9) — Rescue teams raced against time Monday as the death toll from the magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck off Sarangani Province climbed to at least 35, while authorities continued searching collapsed structures and assessing widespread damage across Southern Mindanao.
The earthquake, which struck at 7:37 a.m. on the first day of classes in many schools, was traced to the Cotabato Trench, an active offshore fault system that has produced some of the deadliest earthquakes and tsunamis in Philippine history.
General Santos City suffered some of the most severe damage after experiencing Intensity 7 shaking. Several commercial buildings, schools, hospitals, churches, and homes were damaged or partially collapsed, prompting rescue operations that continued into the evening.
Beyond the structural damage, the earthquake crippled critical infrastructure across the region. The Department of Energy reported that about 864,000 households lost electricity after the quake disrupted power systems in South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Davao Region, and neighboring provinces.
The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines restored transmission services in several affected provinces within hours, including Davao del Sur, Davao Occidental, Davao de Oro, Davao Oriental, Maguindanao, North Cotabato, and Sultan Kudarat. However, power restoration remained partial in South Cotabato and Sarangani, while General Santos City continued to experience outages as of Monday evening.
The Department of Energy said rapid response teams had been deployed to assess damaged facilities and accelerate restoration efforts, with priority given to hospitals, evacuation centers, water systems, and other critical facilities.
“As aftershocks continue to be recorded in affected areas, damage assessments and system inspections are currently proceeding with caution to ensure the safety of line workers, engineers, and emergency response personnel on the ground,” Energy Secretary Sharon Garin said.
Across Regions 11 and 12 and parts of the Bangsamoro region, the earthquake also disrupted transportation and communications. General Santos City Airport temporarily suspended operations for safety inspections, while maritime authorities halted sea travel in several coastal areas after tsunami warnings were issued.
Phivolcs recorded more than 138 aftershocks following the main quake, including several strong tremors felt throughout Mindanao. Tsunami waves of up to 1.4 meters were also monitored in coastal areas of Sarangani, Sultan Kudarat, Davao Oriental, Zamboanga City, and Surigao del Sur.
Scientists said the earthquake originated from movement along the Cotabato Trench, a major tectonic boundary southwest of Mindanao that remains capable of generating powerful earthquakes and destructive tsunamis.
The same trench system triggered the devastating 1976 Moro Gulf earthquake and tsunami that killed more than 4,000 people and left thousands missing. Another major Cotabato Trench earthquake struck in 2002, claiming eight lives and affecting thousands of families across Southern Mindanao.
As the scale of the disaster became clearer, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered a full mobilization of government resources and directed Cabinet officials to proceed to affected areas to oversee response operations.
Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro assured the public that government resources remain sufficient to sustain rescue, relief, and recovery efforts.
“The government funds for now are enough for rescue operations and to ease the impact of the disaster that happened today,” Castro said during a Palace briefing.
She said the President activated a “whole-of-government approach,” bringing together the Office of Civil Defense, National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of Public Works and Highways, Department of Health, Department of Education, and other agencies involved in disaster response.
Health officials said Cabinet secretaries dispatched by the President arrived in Mindanao Monday afternoon to monitor conditions and coordinate assistance with local governments.
Marcos also suspended classes in affected areas and urged residents in coastal communities to comply with evacuation orders issued following tsunami warnings.
“To our kababayans in the affected provinces, please heed the tsunami warning. Move to higher ground now. Do not wait,” the President said.
He assured residents that the national government would continue to support affected communities as rescue and relief operations progress.
“The national government is moving, and we will not leave Mindanao behind,” Marcos said.
With aftershocks continuing, hundreds of thousands still without electricity, and damage assessments ongoing, authorities warned that casualty figures could rise further as reports from remote communities are validated and rescuers reach heavily affected areas.
For many residents, Monday’s earthquake was more than a natural disaster—it was a reminder of the enduring threat posed by the Cotabato Trench, whose history of destructive earthquakes continues to shape life in Southern Mindanao.
