By Benjamin Cuaresma
MANILA — Communities across southern Mindanao are confronting a new wave of challenges as heavy rains triggered flooding in several earthquake-hit areas over the weekend, while scientists continue to document dramatic changes to coastlines caused by the powerful magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck on June 8.
The death toll from the disaster has risen to 61, with authorities reporting 54 fatalities in the Soccsksargen region and seven more in the Davao Region. Thousands of residents remain displaced as recovery efforts continue amid persistent aftershocks and worsening weather conditions.
In Sarangani province, flash floods inundated low-lying communities on Saturday. The Kumaba Bridge in Maasim became temporarily impassable, while sections of the national highway in Maitum were submerged under knee-deep floodwaters, disrupting transportation and hampering relief operations.
According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), more than 720,000 individuals, representing approximately 173,000 families, have been affected by the earthquake. Around 10,000 people remain sheltered in evacuation centers.
The agency also reported 1,403 injuries and 40 individuals still unaccounted for as search and rescue operations continue in several affected areas.
Infrastructure losses have mounted significantly, with damage to public facilities and private properties estimated at more than P1 billion. Authorities said at least 725 infrastructure projects sustained damage, while nearly 54,000 homes were affected. Of these, close to 10,000 houses were completely destroyed.
The Office of Civil Defense in Region 12 reported that 445,762 individuals across 264 barangays were directly affected by the disaster. More than 23,000 displaced residents remain in evacuation centers, while tens of thousands have sought temporary shelter with relatives and friends.
Several local government units have placed their jurisdictions under a state of calamity to speed up relief and rehabilitation efforts.
These include General Santos City, the Sarangani municipalities of Malapatan, Glan and Alabel, as well as Tupi in South Cotabato.
Preliminary assessments indicate that infrastructure damage in the affected areas has reached nearly P980 million. Authorities have also documented extensive destruction to residential properties and public schools, with over 1,200 school buildings sustaining varying levels of damage.
General Santos City Mayor Lorelie Pacquiao said the city is beginning its transition from damage assessment to rehabilitation, with repair and reconstruction projects expected to commence once inspections are completed.
Seismic activity remains intense across southern Mindanao.
As of Sunday morning, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) had recorded approximately 5,200 aftershocks since the main earthquake. Of the 1,307 aftershocks precisely plotted by monitoring stations, 76 were strong enough to be felt by residents.
Authorities continue to warn communities to remain vigilant against landslides, structural collapses and other secondary hazards that may result from continuing ground movement.
Beyond the widespread destruction on land, scientists are documenting significant geological changes along the coasts of Sarangani and Davao Occidental.
A coastal uplift triggered by movement along the Cotabato Trench has raised portions of the seabed, permanently altering shorelines and exposing large sections of coral reefs and seagrass beds that were previously underwater.
One of the most dramatic transformations was recorded at the Pangyan Marine Sanctuary in Glan, Sarangani, where surveys confirmed that parts of the seabed were lifted by approximately two meters. The uplift extended the shoreline by nearly 200 meters, exposing vast stretches of marine habitat.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources in Region 12 warned that corals, seagrass beds and marine organisms left stranded above water are beginning to die. Residents have expressed concern that decaying marine life could create sanitation and health problems in nearby communities.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS EMERGE
Environmental officials said reef fishes, eels, clams, shells and other marine species have already been affected by the sudden exposure of their habitat.
Similar coastal changes have also been observed in Sarangani town in Davao Occidental, including on Balut Island, where residents reported that familiar shorelines have dramatically expanded seaward following the earthquake.
Locals have also noted the appearance of sinkholes along coastal zones, raising additional concerns as aftershocks continue to rattle the region.
Scientists believe the geological changes could serve as long-term evidence of the immense forces unleashed by the magnitude 7.8 earthquake, one of the strongest to strike Mindanao in recent history.
As recovery efforts continue, authorities face the dual challenge of rebuilding devastated communities while adapting to a coastline that, in some areas, has been permanently transformed.
ia/xf
