Rescuers race to reach trapped after powerful quake in southern Philippines

Rescuers raced against time Tuesday in the southern Philippine city of General Santos, the hardest-hit area, searching for two individuals still believed to be trapped beneath the rubble of a collapsed commercial building. The powerful 7.8-magnitude earthquake that struck early Monday has claimed at least 37 lives and injured hundreds, leaving a trail of devastation.

Regional fire officer Edgar Tanawan reported that while two people were rescued alive from the multi-story building, which housed a grocery store and other businesses, a third person was found dead. Scanners have not detected any signs of life from the remaining two trapped individuals, adding to the anguish of families waiting for news.

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It’s difficult to accept, as a mother, that my son is still trapped there. I don’t know… it’s very hard to accept.

Dioslinda Deluvio, a distraught mother, expressed her pain and desperation outside the building, waiting for any update on her son. "It’s difficult to accept, as a mother, that my son is still trapped there,” she said. “My only call is to have him retrieved today so we can be at peace."

The earthquake, which triggered tsunami warnings across several countries, struck off the coast of Sarangani province. Tremors were felt across Mindanao and as far as Manado, Indonesia. General Santos, home to over 700,000 people, is now under a state of calamity, with numerous buildings damaged, power lines toppled, and debris littering the streets. Officials are working to restore essential services and assess the full extent of the damage. The Philippines experiences hundreds of earthquakes annually due to its location on the seismically active Pacific "Ring of Fire."

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My only call is to have him retrieved today so we can be at peace.