Panic at Philippine elementary school as earthquake hits

Video shows terrified children screaming as teachers rush them to safety after quake

Last updated:
Devadasan K P, Chief Visual Editor

Dubai: Terrifying scenes unfolded at an elementary school in the southern Philippines when a powerful 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck on Monday, sending children into panic and causing part of a corrugated iron roof to collapse near a crowd of frightened students.

Video footage from the school shows children screaming and crying as teachers and staff rush to move them to safety. The quake, one of the strongest to hit the region in recent years, was felt across large parts of the southern Philippines and prompted tsunami warnings in several coastal areas.

Authorities said at least 15 people were killed, with dozens more injured as buildings suffered damage and debris fell in affected communities. Emergency teams were deployed to assess the destruction and assist residents in the hardest-hit areas.

The earthquake also disrupted transport and communications, while aftershocks raised concerns among local communities. Officials continue to monitor the situation as rescue and recovery operations remain underway across the region.

Video: AFP

Devadasan K P
Devadasan K PChief Visual Editor
Devadasan K P is the Chief Visual Editor at Gulf News, bringing more than 27 years of experience in photojournalism to the role. He leads the Visual desk with precision, speed, and a strong editorial instinct. Whether he’s selecting images of royalty, chasing the biggest celebrity moments in Dubai, or covering live events himself, Devadasan is always a few steps ahead of the action. Over the years, he has covered a wide range of major assignments — including the 2004 tsunami in Sri Lanka, the 2005 Kashmir earthquake, feature reportage from Afghanistan, the IMF World Bank meetings, and wildlife series from Kenya. His work has been widely recognised with industry accolades, including the Minolta Photojournalist of the Year award in 2005, the Best Picture Award at the Dubai Shopping Festival in 2008, and a Silver Award from the Society for News Design in 2011. He handles the newsroom pressure with a calm attitude, a quick response time, and his signature brand of good-natured Malayali humour. There's no fuss — just someone who gets the job done very well, every single time.

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