JAKARTA - The number of deaths due to a magnitude 7.8 earthquake that shook off the coast of Mindanao, southern Philippines, earlier this week has increased to 53 people.
To date, 53 bodies have been found, although some of them are still unidentified, said spokesman for the Philippine Fire Protection Bureau Anthony Arroyo, as reported by GMA News Online.
Previous reports said rescue teams were still searching for 17 people reported missing.
Dilansir ANTARA dari Anadolu, Rabu, 10 Juni, Dewan Nasional Pengurangan Risiko dan Manajemen Bencana Filipina menyatakan 487 orang mengalami luka-luka, media lokalPhilstarmelaporkan.
Of the total confirmed fatalities, 33 were recorded in Region 12 and 12 in Region 11. However, authorities said the numbers were still under verification.
The earthquake occurred on Monday at 07.37 local time (06.37 WIB) off the coast of Sarangani Province.
The disaster caused extensive damage in several areas of Mindanao, knocking down buildings, disrupting electricity and clean water services, and triggering landslides in several areas.
Search, rescue, and evacuation operations for the bodies are still ongoing in various affected areas, so the number of fatalities may still increase.
The quake triggered at least 10 landslides, including in the southern Mindanao region.
In Sarangani, 13 residents of Barangay New Aklan were reported buried after a landslide hit the residential area.
Authorities are also investigating a report that one village may have been buried by a landslide, although the number of victims related to the report has not been confirmed.
The disaster also damaged 18 bridges, 41 roads, and 238 public facilities, while a number of transportation routes are still inaccessible.
Around 130,000 customers experienced power outages. Hospitals are still operating under difficult conditions by treating patients in emergency tents due to aftershocks and concerns about the safety of buildings.
More than 149,000 people were affected by the disaster, including more than 41,000 residents who were forced to evacuate. Nearly 3,000 houses were reported damaged.
The Philippine Department of Education said the earthquake affected about 6,224 schools, more than 3.2 million students, and about 128,000 teachers and educators.
The Philippine government said emergency aid worth 4.8 million Philippine pesos (about Rp1.4 billion) had been distributed, while relief and humanitarian assistance efforts were still ongoing in the affected areas.
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