Philippines earthquake: Panic at school assembly as strongest quake in decades kills 4, injures over 200 | Video

A 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck the southern Philippines on June 8, 2026, at 7:37 am, becoming the strongest quake in the country since 1990. The epicenter was near Sarangani province, with the strongest shaking recorded as intensity VIII ("Very Destructive") in southern Mindanao. At Mahayahay Elementary School in Barangay Kilalag, Davao Occidental, hundreds of students and teachers gathered for a morning flag-raising ceremony when the quake hit. A nearby tin-roofed structure collapsed, but no injuries were reported among the school community. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) confirmed the quake’s magnitude and its destructive impact. The disaster caused widespread damage: a Jollibee fast-food restaurant and radio studio building collapsed in General Santos City, and parts of shopping malls and Notre Dame of Dadiangas University suffered structural failures. The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) reported power outages across a dozen provinces, while General Santos International Airport halted operations due to runway and terminal damage. At least four people died and over 200 were injured, according to the Associated Press. Tsunami alerts were issued, and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr ordered evacuations in coastal areas. The Civil Aviation Authority suspended 17 commercial flights due to airport damage, and social media videos showed collapses in General Santos City and other affected regions.