M7.8 earthquake off southern Mindanao leaves at least 61 dead, over 1 400 injured, and 53 000 homes damaged or destroyed, Philippines
A M7.8 earthquake off southern Mindanao left at least 32 people dead, injured 134 others in preliminary civil-defense figures, and caused widespread damage in General Santos and nearby areas on June 8, 2026.
Damage caused by M7.8 earthquake in Philippines on June 7, 2026. Credit: IFRC Asia Pacific
The earthquake struck at 07:37 LT on June 8 (23:27 UTC on June 7), about 20 km (12.4 miles) off Sarangani province, and was felt strongly across Mindanao.
Most of the damage was concentrated in General Santos, a city of about 700 000 people. Reuters reported damaged shops and buildings, broken signs and glass, and some structures reduced to concrete and rubble. One hospital in the city was evacuated because of cracks on higher floors, and one building at Notre Dame of Dadiangas University collapsed while empty.
AP reported collapsed buildings and key infrastructure damage in General Santos, while tsunami damage was reported in at least one coastal village. The quake also triggered a landslide in Glan, Sarangani, that killed 13 villagers, according to AP, citing provincial disaster official Rene Punzalan.
Office of Civil Defense (OCD) spokesperson Junie Castillo reported 19 deaths under verification and validation, including 16 in Soccsksargen and three in Davao Region. In Soccsksargen, 10 fatalities were reported in General Santos, three in Glan, two in Tupi, and one in Malapatan, Sarangani.
The same OCD update mentioned 134 injured, including 129 in Soccsksargen and five in Davao Region, and 12 people missing in General Santos. Castillo said some fatalities were initially reported to have been caused by collapsed structures, falling debris, and landslides.
The Department of Public Works and Highways placed the initial property damage in General Santos at about PHP 1 billion. DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon said the running total covered damage to different buildings in General Santos alone, and the department said it would coordinate with local governments to identify critical buildings, conduct damage assessments, and secure structures ahead of possible aftershocks.
Around 10 000 families from Sarangani and Sultan Kudarat had been evacuated, and 700 families were affected, according to the OCD-linked GMA update. Search, rescue, and retrieval operations were ongoing.
The earthquake generated a 1 m (3 feet) tsunami, with waves monitored in Sultan Kudarat and Sarangani and a 1.4 m (4.6 feet) wave recorded at one time in Kiamba, Sarangani. An 83 cm (2.7 feet) tsunami was reported off Indonesia’s Sulawesi island, 30 cm (1 foot) waves in Palau, and waves up to 20 cm (7.8 inches) in parts of Japan.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) said the tsunami threat had largely passed about five hours after the quake, and Philippine officials lifted the warning by mid-afternoon. Six shanties on stilts were damaged in a coastal village in Zamboanga del Sur due to the quake and taller waves, officials told AP.
More than 200 aftershocks were recorded by the Philippine seismology agency, including at least nine strong events felt across Mindanao, with the strongest at M6.7.
The Department of Energy said it was consolidating reports on power lines, substations, distribution facilities, fuel depots, retail stations, and other energy infrastructure to determine whether facilities had been affected.
Updates
13:00 UTC, June 9
At least 37 people were killed, nearly 500 injured, and more than 32 000 displaced, with only 4 people still officially missing as rescue teams continued searching collapsed and heavily damaged buildings in General Santos.
Damage includes about 2 500 houses and 117 government buildings and facilities across several provinces, collapsed buildings and debris in General Santos, toppled power lines and utility posts, damaged schools and hospitals, and continued disruption at General Santos International Airport, where 63 domestic flights were canceled except humanitarian missions.
Tsunami waves up to 1.4 m (4.6 feet) were measured in the Philippines.
08:40 UTC, June 10
The death toll has risen to at least 45 people by June 10. The number of injured stands at 487, while 17 people are still missing. NDRRMC figures place 33 deaths in Soccsksargen and 12 in Davao Region.
Damage has expanded to more than 3 100 houses, key roads and bridges, over 100 government buildings, General Santos International Airport, and thousands of public school buildings, while more than 25 000 people were displaced.
PHIVOLCS recorded more than 2 000 aftershocks by the morning of June 10, complicating rescue work in General Santos, where responders had to withdraw from a damaged grocery during a strong aftershock.
12:10 UTC, June 11
At least 47 people were reported dead on June 11, 688 were injured, and 31–33 were missing. Most deaths were caused by falling debris, collapsed buildings, landslides, and sea incidents.
NDRRMC figures show 346 449 people were affected and more than 45 000 displaced across several southern Philippine regions.
Damage now includes more than 12 600 houses, 45 road sections, and 8 bridges. An airport in Soccsksargen is non-operational, while landslides have isolated villages in Glan, Sarangani, where local officials requested helicopter delivery of food and water.
10:10 UTC, June 14
The death toll has risen to at least 61 on June 13, the number of injured to 1 403 injured, and there are still 40 people missing.
OCD figures show about 724 000 people / 173 000 families affected, and around 10 000 people displaced. Damage has expanded to PHP 1 billion in infrastructure losses, 725 damaged infrastructure assets, about 9 900 houses destroyed, and 44 100 houses partially damaged, while 13 municipalities and cities are under a state of calamity.
PHIVOLCS reported 5 200 aftershocks, including 76 felt.
Relief and shelter operations continue across General Santos, Sarangani, Davao Occidental, and nearby affected areas.
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