Death toll from 7.8-magnitude earthquake in southern Philippines rises to 55

MANILA, Philippines — The death toll from a 7.8-magnitude earthquake off the coast of Mindanao island in the southern Philippines has risen to 55, with 31 people still missing, officials said. Government data released on Friday showed that rescue teams recovered eight more bodies in the past 24 hours. Search and rescue teams in the hardest-hit Sarangani region have been working to clear roads and remove debris, while power outages continue across the area. Helicopters have been delivering food and water to affected communities. Disaster management agency head Rene Ponsalan said operations have been periodically suspended due to ongoing aftershocks and heavy rain that began overnight. Speaking to AFP, Ponsalan said several days had passed since the quake and that finding survivors would now require a miracle, adding that the focus had shifted to recovering the dead. President Ferdinand Marcos visited a damaged school and relief centers in General Santos, the region's largest city, on Wednesday. He announced that the government would allocate 100 million pesos (approximately $1.6 million) for the reconstruction of the damaged municipal building and recovery efforts.