Outdoor hospitals, shaken communities as Philippine quake toll hits 41

Doctors treated patients in makeshift tents under the scorching Philippine sun on June 9, including assisting a young mother in childbirth, as the death toll from a major earthquake that collapsed buildings surpassed 40. The 7.8-magnitude quake, which struck off the southern island of Mindanao on June 8, has left thousands displaced and more than 450 injured, according to national and local disaster agencies. Four people are currently believed to be missing.

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There are still aftershocks, so the rescuers are very cautious in their approach. That’s a challenge.

In Sarangani province, the area hardest hit by the quake, some regions remain accessible only by helicopter. Local officials reported on June 9 that fears of ongoing aftershocks were slowing down rescue operations. "There are still aftershocks, so the rescuers are very cautious in their approach. That’s a challenge," said regional civil defense chief Rodrigo Sosmena.

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I think everything needs to be demolished.

Infrastructure damage has resulted in some communities being cut off for at least a week due to damaged roads and a collapsed bridge. At a hospital near General Santos, the region's largest city, reporters witnessed a birth taking place outdoors behind a temporary screen. Staff at another hospital in Glan municipality, where at least 13 people were buried by a landslide, reported that over 60 patients were being treated outside the facility due to concerns about the building's structural integrity.

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It’s hard to accept. (Our house) probably needs to be demolished, because we were told we’re on top of a faultline. It’s really back to zero.

Residents described scenes of terror during the earthquake, with many stating their areas are no longer safe. "I think everything needs to be demolished," said casino worker Eduardo Gutierrez Jr. after returning to his mud-covered apartment. He recounted how his entire apartment row was swaying during the quake, with walls collapsing and floors opening up. Rosalynne Singson expressed that her house, likely built on a fault line, will probably need to be demolished, forcing her to start over. Even at the hospital, a woman receiving treatment for a heart attack was believed to be safer outside due to visible wall cracks and fears of the hospital collapsing.

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I can see the cracks (of the wall) from here. If there is another quake, I’m scared the hospital will collapse.