Philippine officials credited years of disaster-preparedness drills for limiting casualties after a magnitude 8.0 earthquake struck the south, killing 46 and leaving 38 missing. - The quake injured at least 688 and displaced over 45,000 people, damaging more than 12,600 houses.
- Videos showed students staying calm during the quake, following drills, with no injuries reported at one school. - Officials noted the quake hit at 7:37 a.m., before many were indoors, and expressed concern over building collapses that should have withstood the shaking.
The Philippines, located on the Pacific Ring of Fire, is one of the world's most disaster-prone countries.