A damaging earthquake with a magnitude of 7.8 struck off the coast of Mindanao, Philippines, on Monday, causing buildings to collapse and triggering landslides. Tsunami alerts were issued across the southern region. By Wednesday, rescuers recovered a body from the rubble of a supermarket in General Santos City, raising the death total to 46. Joey Deluvio, 39, was among two workers at the store still being searched for after the disaster. Rescue teams detected faint signs of life earlier, but unfortunately, his body was ultimately found trapped between two beams. The official death toll from the national disaster agency increased to 45, with the number of missing persons rising from four to 17. Deluvio’s death was not included in the official count. Most casualties occurred in Davao Occidental, primarily from landslides and structural collapses, according to civil defense authorities.
Philippines Earthquake Deaths Surge to 46
