20,000 people displaced by the Philippine earthquake that killed at least 37

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Play/PauseSPACE Increase Volume↑ Decrease Volume↓ Seek Forward→ Seek Backward← Captions On/Offc Fullscreen/Exit Fullscreenf Mute/Unmutem Decrease Caption Size- Increase Caption Size+ or = Seek %0-9 Next Up Fishing boats catch fire in Ecuador leaving two injured 01:01 00:00 00:41 00:41 More Videos 01:01 Fishing boats catch fire in Ecuador leaving two injured 00:43 Armenians vote in general election under Russian pressure aimed at preventing a drift toward West 00:52 Soccer great Pelé's legacy shines on in his one-time home ahead of the World Cup 00:49 Los Angeles voters weigh new mayor, governor in high stakes election 01:00 European Hobby Horsing Championships bring young riders to Prague 00:57 Screenwriter David Koepp takes a tumble at London 'Disclosure Day' premiere 01:11 Deb Haaland speaks to media after winning Democratic nomination for New Mexico governor 01:10 Trump says he’s going to NBA Finals to root for the Knicks Close 1 of 6 | A large market in General Santos was among structures heavily damaged in Monday’s earthquake which killed at least 32 people and injured more than 200. 2 of 6 | Rescuers inspect a damaged building following an earhtquake in General Santos, Philippines Tuesday, June 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Basilio Sepe) 3 of 6 | A man walks past a damaged building following an earhtquake in General Santos, Philippines Tuesday, June 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Basilio Sepe) 4 of 6 | A rescuer walks past a damaged building following an earhtquake in General Santos, Philippines Tuesday, June 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Basilio Sepe) 5 of 6 | Rescuers install a tent as they prepare for a search operation following an earhtquake in General Santos, Philippines Tuesday, June 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Basilio Sepe) 6 of 6 | Soldiers secure a damaged building following an earhtquake in General Santos, Philippines Tuesday, June 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Basilio Sepe) By Jim Gomez and Joeal Calupitan Updated 6:22 AM MESZ, June 9, 2026 Leer en español Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit General Santos, Philippines (AP) — Rescuers searched ruined buildings in the southern Philippines on Tuesday to ensure no one was still trapped a day after one of the strongest earthquakes to hit the country in a half-century killed at least 37 people and displaced more than 20,000. Only four people were considered missing on official records in the southern provinces near where the 7.8 magnitude quake struck Monday morning, but the Office of Civil Defense acknowledged several collapsed and heavily damaged buildings must be thoroughly inspected for possible survivors or casualties. Soldiers secure a damaged building following an earhtquake in General Santos, Philippines Tuesday, June 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Basilio Sepe) Rescuers prepare their equipment for a search operation at a damaged building following an earhtquake in General Santos, Philippines Tuesday, June 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Basilio Sepe) The earthquake centered off Mindanao, the second most populous Philippine island, injured nearly 500 people and displaced more than 20,000, most of whom fled to emergency shelters. Many people who left their homes feared a tsunami. Waves up to 1.4-meter (4.6-foot) above tide level were measured in the Philippines, but the only tsunami damage reported was to six shanties on stilts in a coastal village. Smaller waves washed ashore in Indonesia and Palau and as far away as southern Japan. Landslides and building collapses caused several deaths The earthquake left a trail of destruction, including in General Santos, a lively coastal city of more than 700,000 people known as the country’s tuna capital, where at least 13 people were killed in collapsed buildings and due to falling debris. At least 18 died in Sarangani province mostly in a landslide that buried houses in the mountainside town of Glan, according to Rafaelito Alejandro of the Office of Civil Defense. The other deaths were reported in the southern provinces of South Cotabato and Davao Occidental, and on Balut Island, disaster-response officials said. RELATED COVERAGE Some of the deadly earthquakes in the Philippines A 7.8 magnitude quake in the Philippines kills at least 35, collapses buildings and sparks tsunami 40 About 2,000 houses and 117 government buildings and facilities were damaged in several provinces, according to an initial government damage assessment. The international airport in General Santos remained shut, forcing the cancellation of 63 domestic flights except for those on humanitarian mission. An offshore magnitude 7.8 earthquake rocked the southern Philippines on Monday, killing at least 32 people, injuring more than 200 others mostly in damaged buildings and sending a 1-meter (3-foot) tsunami into nearby coasts. About 6,000 public school buildings in quake-hit provinces must be assessed before classes can resume. The quake struck on the first day of classes nationwide after a two-month summer break and many who sustained injuries were young students who had gathered with excitement for morning flag-raising ceremonies. Authorities have warned that buildings that sustained cracks could collapse due to aftershocks, some of them dangerously powerful. “We cannot force the immediate reopening of schools because we have to ensure the integrity of the buildings,” Alejandro said. Monday’s earthquake was centered at sea at a depth of 33 kilometers (20 miles), about 32 kilometers (20 miles) southwest of Maasim town in Sarangani province. It was set off by movement in the Cotabato Trench and was the strongest since the same undersea depression triggered an 8.1-magnitude quake that whipped up tsunami waves on Aug. 17, 1976, said Teresito Bacolcol, the director of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology. Police secrure a damaged building following an earhtquake in General Santos, Philippines Tuesday, June 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Basilio Sepe) About 8,000 people died from that quake and tsunami waves of up to 8 to 10 meters (26 to 33 feet) that engulfed several towns and provinces, Bacolcol said. The Philippine seismological institute was scheduled to commemorate the anniversary of the 1976 quake and tsunami in August by installing markers to remind vulnerable towns and cities of the need for constant vigilance, Bacolcol told The Associated Press. A 1990 earthquake that also had a magnitude of 7.8 left more than 1,000 people dead, injured thousands and caused extensive damages in northern provinces and cities. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. deployed top defense-mitigation officials from Manila to help oversee search and rescue, the distribution of tens of thousands of food packs and construction materials to quake victims and assess damage to bridges, roads and other infrastructure. The United States, a treaty ally of the Philippines, said it was coordinating with Manila and was ready to support Philippine response efforts. France, Japan and New Zealand also expressed support. The Philippines is often hit by earthquakes and volcanic eruptions due to its location on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” an arc of seismic faults around the ocean. The archipelago is also battered by about 20 typhoons and tropical storms each year, making it one of the world’s most disaster-prone countries. Gomez reported from Manila, Philippines. AP journalists Basilio Sepe in General Santos, Philippines, and Haruka Nuga in Bangkok contributed to this report. Jim Gomez Gomez is The AP Chief Correspondent in the Philippines. twitter mailto