Death toll from earthquake in Philippines rises to 61, search efforts continue

The death toll from the magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck Mindanao has risen to 61, with authorities still validating casualty reports, the Philippines’ Office of Civil Defence (OCD) said on June 13.

“As of 6:00 this morning, the reported dead casualties have reached 61. The validation is ongoing,” OCD Assistant Secretary and Deputy Administrator Bernardo Rafaelito Alejandro IV said, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media. 

He said authorities are currently verifying the identities of the victims, though all 61 bodies have already been accounted for.

The number of missing persons has been revised down to 33 following validation, as some individuals initially listed may now be confirmed among the deceased, he added.

Injuries have reached 1,221, including people who sought medical consultation for dizziness and trauma-related symptoms, according to the Department of Health.

Officials said fatalities were caused primarily by earthquake-triggered landslides and falling debris. Most landslide-related deaths were reported in Jose Abad Santos and Sarangani Island in Davao Occidental, while fatalities from falling debris occurred in General Santos City.

Search and rescue operations remain ongoing, particularly in remote and hard-to-reach areas of Sarangani and Jose Abad Santos, where several individuals remain missing.

By Sabina Mammadli