Rain and aftershocks hinder rescue efforts as Philippine quake reaches 55 deaths

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Rescuers in southern Philippines worked through rain and aftershocks on Friday, clearing roads and searching for missing persons as the death toll from a powerful earthquake climbed to 55. The 7.8 magnitude quake struck just off the coast of Mindanao on Monday, causing buildings to collapse, landslides to occur, and triggering tsunami alerts across the region.

A government report released Friday confirmed eight new fatalities, with 31 people still missing as local authorities continued to gather reports. In Sarangani province, which was severely affected, provincial disaster officer Rene Punzalan told AFP that many blocked roads had been reopened, but helicopters remained essential to deliver food and water to residents cut off from supplies and still without power.

“Aftershocks are slowing our progress, and it rained last night, so we’ve had to halt some operations,” Punzalan explained, noting that heavy equipment was being used to move large boulders blocking the roads. He also expressed little hope of rescuing survivors, stating, “Many days have passed since the earthquake, so it would be a miracle if anyone is still alive. Our main focus now is to recover bodies.”

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos visited the affected areas of General Santos—largest city in the region—including a damaged school and a relief distribution point. He announced that the government would allocate 100 million pesos ($1.6 million) to rebuild the city hall.