Manila, June 18 -- The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said Thursday that the number of deaths being verified in the magnitude 7.8 earthquake that rattled Maasim, Sarangani and nearby provinces has reached 78, or 10 fatalities higher than the numbers released on June 16.

The disaster response agency broke down these deaths into 21 for the Davao Region and 57 for Soccsksargen.

Missing persons were placed at 30, with 13 in the Davao Region, and 17 in Soccsksargen, while the number of those injured remains at 1,339.

Affected families were placed at 346,413 families, or 1,414,752 persons from 573 barangays in the Zamboanga Peninsula, Davao Region, Soccsksargen, and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Musli...