Powerful earthquake in southern Philippines leaves at least 35 dead

A magnitude-7.8 earthquake struck the southern Philippines early on Monday, resulting in at least 37 fatalities and hundreds of injuries. The seismic event, which occurred approximately 20 kilometers off the coast of Sarangani province, caused buildings to collapse and prompted tsunami alerts. Tremors from the earthquake were felt intensely across Mindanao and extended as far as Manado on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi, over 420 kilometers away. Authorities have advised the public to avoid entering damaged structures due to the risk of aftershocks. The full extent of the damage and the final casualty count are still being assessed.