QUEZON CITY, Philippines (Jun 2026) — While rescue teams were still making their way into affected communities, a government satellite was already watching from above, tracking where the lights went out.
The Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA) is using nighttime satellite imagery to map the scope of destruction from the 7.8-magnitude earthquake that struck Mindanao on June 8, 2026. By comparing images taken at 1:30 AM on June 8 and 1:12 AM on June 9, the agency identified areas where nighttime light had significantly dropped, a reliable early indicator of power loss, infrastructure damage, or mass displacement.
Where the satellite data points
The preliminary findings single out several heavily populated areas. In General Santos City, home to over 722,000 residents based on the 2024 PSA Census, barangays Labangal, Apopong, San Isidro, City Heights, Siguel, and Tambler all showed marked decreases in nighttime light.
Coastal areas in Sarangani province were also flagged. Maasim, with roughly 67,900 residents, and Glan, with about 117,000 residents, both appeared in the data. Polomolok in South Cotabato, with a population of around 176,700, was similarly affected.
What the data actually means
PhilSA stresses this is a preliminary, proxy-based analysis, not a confirmed damage assessment. The absence of light in satellite imagery typically signals disrupted power grids, destroyed infrastructure, or areas where residents have evacuated. It does not yet account for the specific cause of the outage in each location.
The agency says it is continuing to refine the analysis. Once power and services are restored, the return of nighttime light in satellite images will also be used to track recovery progress over time.
The full analysis and accompanying maps are available via PhilSA’s official channels.
