A powerful 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck the southern Philippines on Monday, leaving 55 people dead and 31 others missing. However, years of disaster-preparedness drills helped prevent a larger casualty toll, according to Philippine officials.

Earthquake Damage and Response

The quake, which struck off Sarangani province, injured about 1,120 people and displaced more than 45,000 people, with about half of them still in emergency shelters. Many were too traumatized to return home due to strong aftershocks, officials said.

Videos posted on social media showed horrified crowds witnessing the collapse of small buildings, and flag-raising ceremonies turning chaotic when the ground started to shake on the first day of school after a long summer break. Students were seen screaming in panic but staying seated or standing still outside school buildings, with some covering their heads with their hands as teachers admonished them to calm down.

Teresito Bacolcol, director of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, said that years of disaster-preparedness drills helped people anticipate and brace for extreme events like Monday’s quake. He expressed concern over the collapse of some buildings that should have withstood the powerful quake if construction standards were followed.

Ednar Dayanghirang, director of the Office of Civil Defense in a quake-hit region, said that regular disaster-preparedness drills helped reduce casualties by preventing deadly stampedes. The Philippines, one of the world’s most disaster-prone countries, is often hit by earthquakes and volcanic eruptions due to its location on the Pacific ‘Ring of Fire,’ an arc of seismic faults around the ocean.

Original reporting: KTBS 3 (Shreveport) — read the source article.