Dossier
Mahayahay elementary school
Coverage of Mahayahay elementary school in the Nexus archive.
- Disaster drills helped prevent more deaths when powerful quake hit the southern Philippines
A 7.8 magnitude earthquake in the southern Philippines in 2026 killed 55 people, injured 1,120, and displaced over 45,000. Philippine officials credited disaster-preparedness drills with preventing higher casualties, as schools and communities demonstrated calm responses during the quake. Aftershocks and damaged infrastructure kept many displaced, and experts highlighted the need for improved building standards.