A powerful magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck the southern Philippines on Monday, leaving at least 37 people dead and 487 injured. The full scale of devastation on Mindanao island is still emerging as rescue crews reach isolated coastal towns.
Hundreds of aftershocks continue to jolt the region. Officials fear the death toll will rise as search and rescue operations expand. Large parts of the island remain without electricity or telephone service.
The quake triggered tsunami warnings for Indonesia and Japan's Pacific coast, but no major waves materialized. Thousands are displaced, and close to 2,000 homes and 6,000 schools have been damaged.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has mobilized the full government response, dispatching health and transportation secretaries to oversee relief efforts. Access to some towns remains difficult due to landslides.
The earthquake was caused by movement on the Cotabato Trench, a known source of major seismic events. The Philippines lies on the Pacific Ring of Fire, making it prone to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
Many students survived because they were outside for Monday's morning flag ceremony when the quake hit. Witnesses described two minutes of violent shaking that sent children screaming and running.