The Philippines Office of Civil Defense has confirmed that the death toll from the powerful earthquake that struck the southern island of Mindanao has risen to 45 people, according to local media reports.
The earthquake, which measured 7.8 on the Richter scale, also left 630 people injured and at least 17 individuals still missing, officials said.
The tremor, which hit on Monday, triggered tsunami evacuation warnings across parts of Indonesia and Malaysia, prompting emergency alerts before authorities later downgraded the threat level in Jakarta.
Search and rescue operations are still ongoing as teams continue to look for survivors trapped under rubble in affected areas.
The Philippines is frequently affected by seismic activity due to its location along the Pacific Ring of Fire, a zone known for earthquakes and volcanic eruptions caused by shifting tectonic plates.
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