Rescuers in the southern Philippine city of General Santos are racing to find two people still believed trapped in the rubble of a collapsed commercial building, after a powerful 7.8 magnitude earthquake killed at least 37 people and injured more than 400.

Regional fire officer Edgar Tanawan reports two survivors were pulled from the building, but a third victim was found dead. Scanners have detected no signs of life from the remaining two.

Dioslinda Deluvio, 65, waited distraught outside for news of her son. "It's difficult to accept, as a mother, that my son is still trapped there," she said.

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The quake struck early Monday about 20km off Sarangani province, triggering tsunami warnings across several countries. Tremors were felt as far as Manado, Indonesia, 420km away.

General Santos, home to over 700,000 people, is under a state of calamity. Multiple buildings collapsed, debris litters streets, and power and water remain disrupted. Schools and hospitals have been closed until structural safety checks are completed.

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This quake comes eight months after a 6.9 magnitude quake killed 79 people near Cebu. The Philippines lies on the Pacific "Ring of Fire," a seismically active belt.