Communities Struggle After Deadly Earthquake
Eleven days after a devastating 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck southern Mindanao in the Philippines, many families are still living in makeshift roadside shelters, waiting for relief as communities struggle to recover.
The earthquake killed at least 78 people and left more than 1,339 injured, while 32 remain missing.
Drone footage shows the scale of the destruction across Davao Occidental and Sarangani provinces. Along the shoreline of Balut Island, a continuous stretch of shattered homes and fractured seawalls is slowly being claimed by the sea. Further inland, huge scars mark the hillsides where entire sections of cliff have collapsed.
The devastation is particularly stark on Balut Island, off the coast of Davao Occidental. In one landslide, four people, including two grandmothers and their young grandchildren, were buried alive.
With heavy rain and persistent aftershocks threatening further collapses, families eventually asked recovery teams to suspend search efforts.
“It would rain, and then probably, once they have dug about three feet, an aftershock hits. The soil that was dug up just falls back in again,” said 55-year-old school teacher Evelyn Barlizo.
“It’s truly sad because they weren’t able to give their loved ones a proper burial,” Barlizo said, explaining that heavy machinery could not reach the remote site because access routes were blocked.
Survivors Face Ongoing Hardship
Survivors now face an uncertain future, with homes destroyed and livelihoods disrupted.
“The people’s livelihoods here depend on the land and the sea,” she added. “However, many are afraid to fish because the waves can suddenly turn dangerous.”
Forty-eight-year-old Moises Balabos Jr described the quake as ‘terrifying’, with many displaced residents urging authorities to provide help for affected families.
“Of all the earthquakes, this is the most terrifying one yet because the houses really collapsed,” Balabos Jr said. “I am praying to the Lord that we will be given help. That there will be people who will help us with our daily meals.”
“I hope we can get some help with our current situation, because for us, this is truly difficult. We are staying here right by the roadside. And then we have children; their sleeping conditions are really tough,” added Lito Sapar.
Aid Reaches Affected Areas
As local governments stretch emergency funds to their limits, international aid is beginning to arrive.
In Jose Abad Santos and nearby communities, relief efforts received a significant boost after the United Arab Emirates donated 20,000 food parcels and 20,000 gallons of drinking water for affected families.
Damage Assessment Continues
According to figures released by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) on Friday, infrastructure damage has reached PHP1.36 billion (US$22 million), with 799 facilities affected.
The agency said 61,119 houses were damaged across four regions, including 13,691 that were destroyed.
Article by Viory
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