Source: Save the Children
MANILA, 8 June – A magnitude 7.8 earthquake rocked parts of the southern Philippines, causing damage in a key coastal city and affecting about 3 million students in the province of Sarangani [1]. Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. suspended school classes in affected areas while calling on residents in coastal areas to evacuate immediately after a tsunami warning was issued.
The country’s Department of Education said that about 6,000 schools have been exposed to the earthquake, although this data could change as the full extent of the damage unfolds.
Faisah Ali, Humanitarian Manager, Save the Children Philippines, said:
“Today marked the opening of classes and schools across the Philippines after the country’s summer break, but the Mindanao earthquake has put a terrifying and sudden stop to that. While the full extent of the damage is not yet known, our teams are reporting that the earthquake has destroyed classrooms and schools and forced classes to shut across many parts of the island.
“Children are scared, and their lives and learning have been disrupted. We’re assessing the situation on the ground, where Save the Children already has a presence, and will work to reach affected children as soon as possible, including to ensure that learning continues even after an event like this.”
Save the Children has been working in the Philippines since 1981 with programmes in humanitarian response, health and nutrition, education, and children’s rights and protection.
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