‘Very scary’: Calgary’s Filipino diaspora reeling after 7.8-magnitude earthquake

A weekend earthquake in the Philippines is hitting close to home for some in Calgary's Filipino diaspora.

Calgarians with family and friends in the southern Philippines spent Sunday gripped with anxiety, checking social media, sending messages and waiting for updates after a powerful earthquake killed at least 35 people and injured hundreds more across the island of Mindanao.

The offshore earthquake with a magnitude of 7.8 struck Sunday morning and was felt across much of the island.

Several buildings collapsed or suffered major damage in and around the city of General Santos, while a landslide in the Province of Sarangani killed 13 people. Four other deaths were reported elsewhere in the region.

For Calgary resident Cheery Oyog, who was born in the city of Davao and has many relatives living in the region, the disaster hit close to home.

“It was very scary,” she told CTV News.

“A lot of my aunts and uncles are still back home, and a lot of my cousins are back home, so hearing that kind of news, not just for me, but for my family personally, it’s very scary.”

Authorities said hundreds of people were injured as homes, businesses and public buildings were damaged across the region. Power outages were reported across parts of the area and many residents were forced from their homes.

Oyog said she has been checking social media for updates and remains grateful her relatives are safe.

“All we could really do is pray for them, and then support them any way we can,” she said, adding she and her family has sent financial help to families that lost their homes.

Allan Lucero said he first learned about the earthquake through social media posts showing the destruction. After seeing images of collapsed buildings, he immediately reached out to friends in the affected area.

“I’m so worried about them. I messaged one of my friends, I asked them, hopefully nobody got hurt, and then he said everyone is okay, but they lost … electricity over there.”

Lucero said he remains concerned because many communities in the Philippines face ongoing risks from earthquakes and other natural disasters.

Rhodesia Muli Ng Papang said the earthquake brought back memories of experiencing a major quake herself.

“I’ve been in an earthquake myself, 7.6 (magnitude) so it is not easy. You always have that trouble and fear, especially for my country.”

She said the disaster highlights both the vulnerability of communities across the Philippines and the resilience of people who continue rebuilding after major natural disasters.

The earthquake was the strongest to strike the Philippines in decades and officials continue to assess damage across the region.

Authorities warned that aftershocks could continue for days and urged residents not to return to damaged buildings until they have been inspected for structural safety.

The quake also triggered a tsunami alert across parts of the Pacific Ocean. Tsunami damage was reported in at least one southern coastal village, while smaller waves were detected in Indonesia, Palau and as far away as southern Japan.