Mindanao quake: 10 landslides reported as death toll rises to 45

MANILA, Philippines — The number of reported deaths from the magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck off Mindanao on Monday climb to 45, while 487 people were reported injured and 17 others remained missing.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said in its Wednesday, June 9 report that 33 of the reported deaths were from Region 12, while 12 were from Region 11. The agency said the figures are still subject to validation.

The numbers may still change as search, rescue and retrieval operations continue, the disaster agency said.

Quake-induced landslides. Ten landslides brought on by the ground shaking have been recorded since Monday. Six were reported in Region 11 and four in Region 12, NDRRMC said.

Sarangani Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office head Rene Punzalan earlier told dzBB that 13 residents of Barangay New Aklan in Glan, Sarangani were buried in the landslides.

There was even an incident in which an entire barangay in Mindanao was buried by landslide, but deaths related to it have yet to be verified, OCD spokesperson Junie Castillo said Wednesday.

Roads, bridges, infrastructure

Eighteen bridges and 41 roads in Region 12 were damaged, the Department of Public Works and Highways reported. Six of the bridges and about half of the damaged roads remained impassable.

Castillo said the delivery of aid and access to other quake-affected areas have become more challenging because of damaged infrastructure.

The NDRRMC also reported that 238 infrastructure facilities were damaged, most of them in Region 12. Estimated damage was initially placed at P15 million.

About 130,000 consumers have been without power supply since Tuesday, according to the Department of Energy’s report to the OCD.

The DOE has prioritized restoring power to health facilities and hospitals, where patients are being treated in tents outside buildings because of aftershocks and structural damage.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. earlier directed Cabinet officials to prioritize checks on hospitals and health facilities to ensure patient safety.

Displaced, affected population

A total of 149,372 people, or 33,596 families, from Regions 9, 11, 12 and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao were affected by the earthquake, according to the NDRRMC.

The disaster agency said 41,437 people were displaced. Of these, 32,464 people, or 8,813 families, were staying in 57 evacuation centers, while 8,973 people, or 1,804 families, were being served outside evacuation centers.

A total of 2,994 houses were damaged across the affected regions.

Castillo said isolated areas had been already reached since Tuesday despite broken roads.

Search, rescue and retrieval operations are still ongoing in Mindanao. The NDRRMC and Castillo said P4.8 million worth of assistance has been provided to affected families.