Rescuers in the southern Philippine city of General Santos are searching the rubble of a collapsed commercial building for two people still believed to be trapped. Regional fire officer Edgar Tanawan said two people were pulled out alive, but a third was found dead. Scanners have detected no signs of life from the remaining two.
The 7.8-magnitude quake struck early Monday morning about 20 kilometers off the coast of Sarangani province, triggering tsunami warnings across several countries. The death toll stands at 37, with more than 400 injured and four missing.
General Santos, a city of more than 700,000 people, is under a state of calamity. Several buildings have collapsed, and debris is strewn across streets beneath toppled power lines and utility posts. Schools remain closed as authorities inspect buildings for damage. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology recorded 23 strong aftershocks, the strongest measuring 6.7 magnitude.
