Rescue teams in southern Philippines have found additional bodies beneath the rubble of a collapsed supermarket following a 7.8 magnitude earthquake off the coast of Mindanao island, bringing the death toll to 46.
The death toll from the major earthquake that struck Mindanao island in the Philippines on Monday has risen to 46 after officials discovered more bodies under the supermarket rubble in General Santos City.
Earlier, authorities rushed to search for people who might be trapped under the debris after vital sign detectors picked up "weak pulses" beneath the rubble. Rescuers worked against time amid ongoing aftershocks, but when they reached the spot, the victims showed no signs of life.
The deceased was identified as Joey Deluvio, 39, one of two supermarket employees. His body was found trapped between two structural beams of the building.
The Philippine National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council reported that the death toll had increased to 45 and the number of missing persons surged from 4 to 17, not including the latest fatality found at the supermarket.
Officials stated that most of the additional fatalities were in Davao Occidental province, with the majority caused by landslides and building collapses.
Search and rescue teams continue to look for missing persons while monitoring aftershocks, as the powerful earthquake has caused widespread damage across southern Philippines.
Source:channelnewsasia
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