A powerful offshore earthquake struck near General Santos City on Monday morning, causing deaths, injuries, structural collapses, hospital evacuations and widespread disruption across parts of southern Mindanao. Authorities say the situation remains fluid, with rescue teams still assessing damaged buildings and verifying reports from affected communities.
According to the BBC’s live reporting, the earthquake hit at 07:37 local time and was measured at magnitude 7.8. The quake struck off the coast of General Santos City, one of the major urban centers in southern Mindanao. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, or Phivolcs, reported that the quake had a shallow depth of around 10 km, a factor that can increase the severity of shaking felt on land.
BBC reported that at least 15 people have died and 129 others were injured, citing officials from the Philippine Office of Civil Defense. Of those fatalities, 12 were reported in Soccsksargen, the region that includes South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani and General Santos City.
Buildings Collapse Across the City
The earthquake caused immediate fear across General Santos and nearby areas. Videos and photos circulating from the city showed collapsed structures, including a building housing a Jollibee restaurant, which crumbled during the shaking.
BBC reported that more than two dozen buildings, many of them commercial establishments, were damaged in General Santos City. Police earlier confirmed collapsed buildings and ongoing rescue operations, while officials warned residents not to re-enter homes or structures showing cracks or visible damage.
The damage appears to include commercial buildings, homes and public-facing establishments. In the first hours after the quake, rescuers and local authorities focused on checking collapsed or weakened structures, clearing debris and helping residents move away from unsafe areas.
Hospitals, Schools and Public Facilities Affected
Local and international reports also point to serious impacts on hospitals, schools and transport infrastructure. Al Jazeera reported that parts of St. Elizabeth Hospital in General Santos were severely damaged, forcing patients and medical personnel to evacuate and operate outside the main building.
This is especially concerning because hospitals become critical lifelines after a major earthquake, and damage to medical facilities can slow emergency treatment for the injured. Philstar also reported damage to classrooms and school facilities in parts of Mindanao, while the earthquake struck just as the new school year was beginning.
BBC noted that videos showed children screaming and teachers trying to calm students as the ground shook. In schools, even when buildings do not collapse, strong shaking can cause panic, injuries during evacuation and serious concern about whether classrooms are safe to re-enter.
General Santos Airport Operations Suspended
General Santos International Airport also suspended operations for safety assessments after the earthquake. The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines ordered checks on air navigation facilities, equipment and operational capability before normal service could resume.
This matters because airport closures can complicate the arrival of rescue workers, medical teams and relief supplies, especially if roads or ports are also disrupted. Passengers were advised to coordinate with airlines while safety inspections were being conducted.
Tsunami Warnings Issued After Offshore Quake
The quake also triggered tsunami warnings across parts of the region. The Philippines, Indonesia, Japan and other nearby areas issued alerts after the offshore tremor.
BBC reported that tsunami waves were recorded in several areas, including Mindanao, Palau, Indonesia and Davao, though most warnings were later lifted. Phivolcs recorded minor tsunami waves in six areas of Mindanao, with the highest reported wave reaching 1.4 meters.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. urged residents in threatened coastal areas to move to higher ground, warning people not to wait and saying that life was more important than anything left behind.
Why General Santos Felt Strong Shaking
Beyond the immediate destruction, the earthquake raises serious safety concerns for General Santos and surrounding communities. The city sits close to Sarangani Bay and near active seismic zones in southern Mindanao.
Philstar reported that Phivolcs linked the event to movement along the Cotabato Trench, the same major geologic structure associated with the devastating 1976 Moro Gulf earthquake and tsunami. That historical comparison does not mean the current event will have the same outcome, but it underlines why authorities treated the tsunami threat seriously.
Because the quake occurred offshore and at a relatively shallow depth, strong shaking was felt in coastal and urban areas near the epicenter. Shallow earthquakes usually release energy closer to the surface, which can make damage more severe, especially in buildings that are old, poorly reinforced or already weakened.
Aftershocks Remain a Major Concern
The situation remains a developing disaster. While confirmed numbers already show a significant human toll, officials continue to assess damage to homes, commercial buildings, hospitals, schools and public infrastructure.
Reports of deaths, injuries and structural failure should be treated carefully and updated only through official channels or verified news sources. Residents in General Santos, Sarangani, South Cotabato and nearby coastal areas should continue following advisories from Phivolcs, local disaster risk reduction offices, police, the Philippine Red Cross and city officials.
With aftershocks already recorded, damaged buildings may still pose a serious risk. Even structures that appear stable from the outside can have weakened columns, walls, ceilings, stairways or electrical systems.
What Residents Should Do Now
For residents affected by the quake, the most important step is to avoid entering damaged buildings until they have been inspected by qualified personnel. Cracks, leaning walls, fallen ceilings, broken glass, exposed wiring and unusual sounds from a structure should all be treated as warning signs.
People in coastal communities should also continue monitoring official tsunami advisories, even if earlier warnings have been lifted. Families should prepare emergency bags, keep phones charged when possible, check on elderly neighbors and avoid spreading unverified reports online.
For now, the priorities are clear: rescue those trapped or injured, keep people away from unstable structures, restore power and communications, inspect hospitals and schools, and ensure coastal communities remain alert for possible aftershocks or sea-level disturbances.
The full scale of the disaster may only become clear after engineers and emergency responders complete inspections across the city and surrounding municipalities.
Sources
Information in this article is based on current reports from BBC News, Al Jazeera, Reuters, and Philstar. This is a developing story, so casualty figures and damage assessments may change as officials release updated information.
