The day the ground split

One of the strongest quakes to hit the region in recent years has left a trail of destruction across southern Philippines. Search-and-rescue operations continued despite hazardous conditions and recurring aftershocks.

Residents carrying their belongings to safer ground as evacuations unfold after a powerful earthquake struck off the southern Philippine island of Mindanao. — Reuters

A man showing a gaping crack that split the floor of his home, revealing the quake’s destructive force a day after the magnitude 7.8 tremor in General Santos. — Reuters

Motorists passing a house left precariously tilted, a stark reminder of the earthquake’s impact. — Reuters

A rescue worker following a search-andrescue dog through the rubble of a collapsed grocery store in Calumpang as the search for survivors continues. — Reuters

Carlito Villabriga reaching through the school gates to comfort his son, Vien Cael Villabriga, in a poignant reunion after the earthquake at President Corazon C. Aquino Elementary School in Quezon City. — Reuters

Emergency responders meeting for a briefing before fanning out for search-and-rescue operations at the site of a collapsed building. — AFP

A resident gestures toward the extensive damage inflicted on a home by the powerful quake. — Reuters

Soldiers arriving to bolster search-and-rescue efforts as communities grapple with the aftermath of the devastating tremor. — Reuters

Rescuers deploying a sniffer dog to scour the ruins of a collapsed building for signs of life beneath the debris. — AFP

Residents watching in disbelief a partially collapsed building left scarred by the earthquake. — Reuters