61 dead, 40 missing after strong quake in S. Philippines

MANILA -- At least 61 people were killed, 40 missing and 1,403 injured after a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck off the southern coast of Mindanao, the Philippines, on June 8, said the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) on Sunday.

The NDRRMC said the earthquake affected over 173,000 households, or 724,000 people. Some 54,000 houses sustained damage, among which nearly 10,000 were labeled as "totally damaged."

A total of 725 infrastructure facilities were damaged, resulting in losses of 1 billion pesos (approximately $16.2 million), according to the council. Meanwhile, assistance worth 67.6 million pesos has been provided to affected families, and 13 municipalities and cities in the affected regions are under a state of calamity.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said the tectonic earthquake occurred at 7:37 am local time at a depth of 33 km, with the epicenter 32 km southwest of the coast of Maasim town in Sarangani province on Mindanao Island.

The Philippines experiences frequent seismic activity due to its location along the Pacific "Ring of Fire," a zone of major tectonic plate boundaries known for earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.