A building collapsed after a strong earthquake in General Santos City, Philippines, on June 8, 2026.
In the port city of General Santos, the hardest-hit area, disaster authorities confirmed seven fatalities and approximately 130 injuries after several small buildings collapsed and numerous structures, including a vital bridge, suffered severe damage. The remaining five fatalities were reported in the provinces of South Cotabato, Davao Occidental, and Balut Island.
Rescue teams are currently working urgently to verify information that some students may be trapped inside a collapsed two-story school building in General Santos. Police also said that because the earthquake occurred on the first day of the new school year while students were gathered for the flag ceremony, the resulting panic caused more than 100 students to be injured or faint.
In addition to casualties and damage to infrastructure, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) has also issued an emergency notice to temporarily suspend all operations at General Santos International Airport for a safety assessment of infrastructure and navigation equipment. This decision has resulted in the immediate cancellation of at least 17 domestic flights, with passengers advised to contact their airlines directly for schedule updates.
A tsunami wave of 1.4m was recorded.
On June 8, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology reported a 1.4-meter-high tsunami following a 7.8 magnitude earthquake off the southern coast of the country.
Earlier, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said tsunamis up to 3 meters high could occur off some coasts of the Philippines, and 1-meter tsunamis were predicted off some coasts of Indonesia and Malaysia . Smaller tsunamis could occur in Japan, Papua New Guinea, and several island nations and territories in the Western Pacific. Indonesia lifted its tsunami warning, hours after ordering evacuations in northern areas.
Approximately 5,890 schools were affected by the earthquake.
On the same day, the Philippine Department of Education (DepEd) announced the temporary suspension of teaching activities at all levels in areas affected by the earthquake to ensure the safety of students and teachers.
The earthquake in Sarangani province and surrounding areas occurred precisely as public schools across the country were officially scheduled to begin the 2026-2027 school year. Education Minister Sonny Angara stated that the decision to suspend schooling was made on the orders of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
The Philippine Department of Education is working closely with regional and local offices to assess damage, inspect building safety, and verify information on the ground. As of 9:00 AM on the same day, DepEd's monitoring system recorded 5,893 schools affected by the earthquake in Mindanao.
Meanwhile, the Soccsksargen branch of the Ministry of Education also announced a temporary suspension of classes and work to facilitate a comprehensive inspection of school buildings. Engineers and disaster risk management officials were instructed to assess the structural safety of all schools and administrative facilities before allowing them to reopen.
An Binh
Source: https://baochinhphu.vn/dong-dat-78-do-tai-philippines-cong-bo-so-lieu-moi-102260608142856935.htm
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