Mindanao Quake Death Toll Climbs to 61 as Search Continues
The reported death toll from the magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck Mindanao on June 8 has climbed to 61, according to the Office of Civil Defense (OCD). As the faithful across the archipelago offer prayers for the victims, authorities continue to grapple with the sheer scale of the devastation, particularly in isolated rural communities.
Validation and Casualty Breakdown
OCD Assistant Secretary and Deputy Administrator Bernardo Rafaelito Alejandro IV confirmed the numbers on Saturday. He explained that while the names of the deceased are still being validated, the bodies have been accounted for. The number of missing persons has slightly decreased from 40 to 33, as some previously unaccounted for were tragically found and added to the casualty count.
Meanwhile, the Department of Health (DOH) reported 1,221 injuries. This figure includes those who sought consultations for dizziness and trauma. In Region 12 alone, 532 individuals were reported injured, many of them students who experienced shock and sought medical attention.
Rural Isolation Hampers Rescue
The brunt of the tragedy has fallen on the rural and coastal areas. Alejandro explained that the primary causes of death are earthquake-induced landslides and falling debris. Most casualties from falling debris were reported in General Santos City. Meanwhile, victims who perished in landslides were from Jose Abad Santos and Sarangani Island in Davao Occidental.
Reaching the hardest-hit communities remains a daunting task. Many of those still missing are in Sarangani and Jose Abad Santos, areas severely isolated by landslides that cut off road networks. For the first 72 hours, Jose Abad Santos and Glan in Sarangani were practically cut off from the rest of the archipelago. The government had to rely on helicopters and sea vessels to reach these isolated barangays.
The OCD also faced communication hurdles, as emergency telecom systems relying on generator sets ran out of fuel after two to three days. Authorities had to dispatch fuel just to restore vital communication lines.
Decisive Relief Mobilization
Displaying the kind of decisive government action that Filipinos expect, the administration has mobilized significant resources to aid the affected provinces. Relief goods from Manila are being transported via Philippine Air Force C-130 and C-295 aircraft, alongside Philippine Navy and Coast Guard vessels. From there, helicopters and sea craft deliver the essentials to the ground zero areas of Glan, Jose Abad Santos, and General Santos City.
Military trucks and Armed Forces units are actively distributing aid on the ground. The OCD is prioritizing the delivery of water, food, housing materials, tents, and tarpaulins for temporary shelter. Water filtration units have also been deployed to ensure clean drinking water for survivors.
While the General Santos City airport remains closed to commercial flights, it is fully operational for humanitarian missions, ensuring the uninterrupted flow of relief goods. As the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology records nearly 4,000 aftershocks, the spirit of bayanihan and the steady hand of the government remain the beacon of hope for Mindanao's recovery.