Hundreds of aftershocks have continued to shake the southern Philippines after a powerful magnitude 7.8 earthquake caused widespread destruction across Mindanao island, leaving dozens of people dead and hundreds injured.

Authorities said at least 37 people have died and 487 others have been hurt, but warned that the number of casualties could increase as search and rescue teams reach isolated communities and assess the full extent of the damage.

The earthquake struck on Monday morning and caused panic across several provinces. Buildings collapsed, roads cracked, and landslides cut off access to some areas, while large parts of Mindanao were left without electricity and communication services.

Bernardo Alejandro, assistant secretary of the agency responsible for disaster response, said officials are focusing on search and rescue efforts while preparing for the possibility of additional fatalities.

According to initial estimates, nearly 2,000 homes and around 6,000 public schools suffered damage during the earthquake.

Emergency teams have been working to reach affected communities as strong aftershocks continue to rattle the region, creating additional challenges for rescue workers and medical personnel.

Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa said some aftershocks were powerful enough to be felt even as doctors were treating injured residents.

Several areas remain difficult to access because of landslides and damaged roads.

In Jose Abad Santos, a municipality in Davao Occidental on the eastern side of Mindanao, Mayor Jason John Joyce said the town's only highway had been buried by landslides, leaving only part of the community reachable by land.

He said relief supplies must be delivered by air to remote villages that remain isolated from the rest of the province.

The widespread damage has disrupted transportation and communication networks, slowing the delivery of aid to affected residents.

The earthquake also triggered tsunami warnings in parts of Indonesia and along Japan's Pacific coast, prompting tens of thousands of people to move to safer areas.

The quake originated from movement along the Cotabato Trench, located off the southern tip of the Philippines. The same geological feature produced a magnitude 7.9 earthquake in 1976 that generated a deadly tsunami and killed around 5,000 people.

Witnesses described scenes of panic as buildings shook violently.

Construction worker Ramel Pato said he had just brought his three children to school in Polomolok town when the earthquake struck.

He recalled children running and crying as the shaking intensified. Having experienced a previous earthquake in 1998, he said he tried to remain calm and focus on keeping his family safe.

Teacher Cesar Sundo from Lebak town said the shaking lasted for more than two minutes and became stronger over time. Thousands of students at his school were outside attending the weekly Monday flag ceremony when the earthquake occurred.

Science Minister and veteran seismologist Renato Solidum said many students were fortunate to be outdoors during the event, which likely helped prevent more casualties.

Videos shared on social media showed buildings collapsing in several areas. One widely circulated clip captured a branch of the popular fast-food chain Jollibee collapsing in General Santos City while people watched from nearby.

The company later said all employees in earthquake-affected locations were safe.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said the national government had mobilized its resources to support relief and recovery operations. Senior officials, including the transportation and health secretaries, travelled from Manila to Mindanao to oversee emergency efforts.

The Philippines regularly experiences earthquakes and volcanic activity because the country lies along the Pacific Ring of Fire, one of the world's most seismically active regions.

With hundreds of aftershocks continuing to strike and some communities still cut off, authorities are racing to locate survivors and deliver assistance as the full impact of one of the strongest earthquakes to hit Mindanao in recent years becomes clearer.

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