The death toll from the powerful magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck off the coast of Maasim, Sarangani on Monday morning has climbed to 37, while 479 people were reported injured and four others remain missing.

According to the latest data released by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) on Tuesday, 33 of the fatalities, 456 of the injuries, and all four missing persons were recorded in the Soccsksargen region.

The NDRRMC also reported that a total of 19,529 families, or more than 88,000 individuals, were affected by the disaster across Regions IX, XI, XII, and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

Of those affected, 5,343 families or 19,635 individuals are currently staying in 39 evacuation centers.

Meanwhile, 264 families, equivalent to 1,055 individuals, are receiving assistance outside evacuation facilities.

Initial assessments by authorities showed that at least 127 facilities sustained damage from the earthquake, with estimated losses reaching P15 million.

Ten houses were also reported damaged in Regions IX, XI, and BARMM.

Due to the impact of the quake, classes were suspended in 182 cities and municipalities, while work was suspended in 123 local government units to allow for thorough inspections of public and private structures.

General Santos City International Airport also remained closed to commercial flights as of Tuesday morning while authorities continued assessing the condition of its facilities.

Authorities are still validating reports of casualties and infrastructure damage as assessment and response operations continue in the affected areas.

The earthquake struck the Mindanao region at 7:37 a.m. on Monday, June 8, coinciding with the first day of classes for School Year 2026–2027.

It is considered one of the strongest earthquakes to hit the region since the 1970s. See less