Magnitude 7.2 Earthquake Strikes Mindanao, Philippines; Dozens Dead

A powerful 7.2-magnitude earthquake struck Mindanao, Philippines on Friday, killing at least 55 people, injuring hundreds more, and forcing mass evacuation efforts across the southern island as rescue workers battle rain and aftershocks.

MANILA, Philippines — The quake hit at 10:15 a.m. local time with an epicenter 22 kilometers southeast of Davao City at a depth of 30 kilometers, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology. It was felt across a wide swath of Mindanao, including the cities of General Santos, Koronadal, and Cotabato.

Rescue teams from the national disaster agency were deployed to the hardest-hit areas, where collapsed structures and debris blocked roads. Military helicopters were placed on standby to reach isolated communities in the mountains of Davao del Sur and Maguindanao del Norte.

Death Toll Rises as Search Continues

At least 55 people were confirmed dead, with the toll expected to rise as search-and-rescue operations continued into the evening. Provincial officials in Davao del Sur reported multiple collapsed homes and buildings, including a local market in the town of Magsaysay that trapped an unknown number of shoppers beneath rubble.

More than 300 people were treated for injuries at hospitals across the region. The national disaster agency said approximately 3 million people across Mindanao experienced shaking of varying intensity, with the strongest effects reported in rural areas where infrastructure is weakest.

Schools and Infrastructure Damaged

Education Secretary Sonny Angara confirmed that at least 34 schools in the Davao Region sustained structural damage, prompting the suspension of classes across the province. Engineers were being dispatched to assess whether buildings were safe to re-enter.

Power outages were reported in parts of three provinces, and local telecommunications networks were disrupted, complicating coordination efforts. The Department of Public Works and Highways said 12 national roads had been blocked by landslides or debris.

International Offers of Assistance

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. declared a state of national calamity following the earthquake, enabling the release of emergency funds. The Palace said assistance had been offered by Australia, Japan, and the United States, and that technical teams from those countries were coordinating with Manila on deployment logistics.

The Philippines sits on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” one of the world’s most seismically active zones, and has a long history of powerful earthquakes. The government has repeatedly strengthened building codes since a 7.1-magnitude quake in Bohol in 2013 killed more than 100 people.

Disaster management officials warned that heavy rain in the forecast for Mindanao over the next 48 hours could complicate rescue efforts and trigger additional landslides in already-strained areas.