Philippines earthquake death toll rises to 37

At least 37 people have died after a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck the southern Philippines, causing buildings to collapse and sending tsunami waves into coastal areas, according to officials and local reports. Hundreds of others were injured.

The updated death toll was announced Tuesday morning local time by the Office of Civil Defense, according to ABS-CBN.

Officials said most of the deaths were reported in Region 12, an area of southern Mindanao that includes General Santos City, while four others were reported in the neighboring Davao region.

In an earlier update, officials said at least 456 people were injured and four others remained missing. Authorities said the death toll could still rise as search and rescue operations continue.

The earthquake struck at 7:38 a.m. local time on Monday, or 7:38 p.m. Sunday ET, and was centered in the Mindanao region of the Philippines, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). It struck at a depth of 63 kilometers (39 miles).

Major damage was reported in areas near the epicenter, especially around General Santos City, where several buildings collapsed or were severely damaged. Witness footage showed a restaurant collapsing in front of people as the ground shook.

Other buildings, including schools and commercial structures, were also reported to have collapsed or suffered heavy damage. The full extent of damage across the region was not immediately clear.

A tsunami was recorded in both the Philippines and Indonesia after the earthquake. In the Philippines, the regional Coast Guard in Mindanao said waves damaged structures and boats along the coast.

PHIVOLCS, the Philippine agency that monitors earthquakes and volcanoes, said the highest recorded tsunami wave reached 1.4 meters, or about 4.6 feet.

The earthquake was one of the strongest to strike the Philippines in recent years. The country sits along the Pacific Ring of Fire, where earthquakes and volcanic eruptions are common.