Rescue teams continue recovery efforts as landslides and collapsed buildings drive rising casualties in Mindanao.
Image: BBC
The death toll from a powerful earthquake in the southern Philippines has climbed to 46 as rescue operations continue across affected areas.
The 7.8-magnitude quake struck offshore near Mindanao on Monday, triggering landslides, collapsing buildings and tsunami warnings across the region.
In General Santos City, rescuers recovered the body of a supermarket employee trapped under rubble. The victim was found pinned between two beams after earlier signs of possible life were detected during search operations.
Authorities said most of the additional fatalities were reported in Davao Occidental province, where landslides and structural collapses caused widespread destruction.
The national disaster agency also raised the number of missing persons to 17 as search and rescue efforts continue under difficult conditions, including ongoing aftershocks.
Emergency teams remain deployed across affected areas, with priority given to locating survivors and clearing debris in heavily damaged communities.
