Fatalities in the magnitude 7.8 earthquake off Sarangani Province has risen to 38 as of 3 p.m. Tuesday, according to the Office of Civil Defense (OCD).

Assistant Secretary Bernardo Rafaelito Alejandro IV said in a broadcast streamed on the OCD’s Facebook page that four individuals are still missing, while 478 were injured

“Most affected areas pa rin in terms of casualties, displacement and damage to houses and infrastructure ay General Santos City and the provinces of Sarangani and South Cotabato,” he said.

Alejandro said that so far, damage to infrastructure in the two regions have totaled ₱562.8 million.

Quoting the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, Alejandro said there have been 1,209 aftershocks as of 3 p.m., ranging from 1.3 to 6.4 magnitude.

He said authorities have focused on search, rescue and retrieval, with 2,784 personnel from the Armed Forces, Philippine National Police, Coast Guard and the Bureau of Fire Protection helping out. (MindaNews)