A powerful 6.5‑magnitude earthquake struck 32 km southwest of Maasim, Sarangani, on Monday morning, June 8, 2026, killing at least 35 people and injuring more than 200. The tremor, centered at a depth of 33 km, caused widespread building collapses in General Santos and triggered landslides and one‑meter tsunami waves along the southern coast.

General Santos’ shattered skyline: 35 dead and four missing

In General Santos, a major port city of over 700,000 residents, low‑rise structures such as a supermarket, a warehouse and a grade school crumbled, leaving four people still unaccounted for, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS). the death toll in the city rose to 35 as resuce teams sifted through rubble, while more than 200 injuries were reported, primarily from falling debris.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered the immediate cancellation of classes and mobilized disaster‑response agencies, pledging national support for the affected region. The city’s international airport was closed temporarily, cancelling 17 domestic flights and further complicating relief logistics.

Landslide tragedy in Glan, Sarangani: 13 fatalities

In the municipality of Glan, Sarangani province, a landslide triggered by the same seismic event claimed 13 lives, with four additional deaths reported elsewhere in the province, as reported by local officials. The slide buried homes and blocked access roads, forcing rescue crews to use heavy equipment to reach trapped victims.

Authorities warned that aftershocks could destabilise already weakened slopes, urging residents to stay clear of damaged structures and steep hillsides until further assessments are completed.

School ceremony turned disaster in Malita, Davao Occidental

Students and teachers gathered for a flag‑raising ceremony at a grade school in Malita when the quake struck, turning the first day after a two‑month summer break into chaos.. While most children remained calm, a shed collapsed, damaging a motorcycle but miraculously causing no injuries.

Local education officials praised the quick thinking of teachers who kept pupils seated, a factor that likely prevented a higher casualty count in the schoolyard.

Tsunami warning brief but real: one‑meter waves hit Zamboanga del Sur

PHIVOLCS issued a tsunami warning shortly after the quake, and coastal villages reported one‑meter waves that damaged six stilted shanties in Zamboanga del Sur. The wave threat subsided within hours, but the brief inundation highlighted the region’s vulnerability to sea‑borne hazards following seismic events.

International partners, including the United States, France, Japan and New Zealand, have offered assistance, though the immediate focus remains on search‑and‑rescue and providing shelter for displaced families.

Who will lead the long‑term recovery? Unanswered coordination gaps

The source does not identify a single agency tasked with overseeing reconstruction, leaving questions about funding, building‑code enforcement and long‑term housing solutions. Additionally, the extent of aftershocks and their potential to cause further collapses remains uncertain, as PHIVOLCS continues to monitor seismic activity.