Philippine authorities say the death toll from a 7.8-magnitude earthquake in the south of the country has risen to 37, while 479 people have been injured and four others remain missing.
The earthquake struck near the coast of Sarangani province on Monday morning and, according to reports, caused widespread damage to buildings, power and water outages and landslides in a number of areas.
According to Anadolu Agency, search and rescue operations are still underway on Mindanao Island.
Officials from the Philippine Office of Civil Defense have confirmed that the highest number of casualties was recorded in the Soccsksargen region, including Sarangani, General Santos and South Cotabato.
The report said at least 479 people were injured in the incident and around 88,000 residents of southern Mindanao were affected, of whom more than 22,000 have been displaced.
Authorities have also reported the destruction of thousands of homes and damage to hundreds of classrooms, adding that damage assessments are still ongoing.
The report added officials have also warned of the possibility of further aftershocks.
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