Search for survivors as deadly Philippines quake displaces tens of thousands

The earthquake has displaced tens of thousands of people. (AP Photo/Basilio Sepe)

Rescuers are searching for missing people after a powerful earthquake in the southern Philippines.

At least 37 people have been killed and buildings, roads and bridges have been destroyed.

Senior officials have been sent from the capital Manila to oversee recovery operations.

Rescuers are combing through collapsed buildings in the southern Philippines after a powerful earthquake devastated coastal communities.

At least 37 people have been killed and searches are underway for four people officially listed as missing.

The Philippines Office of Civil Defence said collapsed and damaged buildings needed to be checked for possible survivors or people killed.

The Philippines Coast Guard has deployed 150 responders, including search and rescue dogs, to help search for survivors.

Rescue workers used dogs to look for trapped people at a collapsed grocery store. (Reuters/Noel Celis)

"Most of the buildings are heavily devastated, there are so many collapsed buildings," Commodore Noemie Cayabyab told the ABC.

"The rescue teams mostly are conducting rescue operations … there are some possible trapped individuals."

The magnitude-7.8 earthquake struck off the coast of the southern island of Mindanao early on Monday morning.

The coastal city of General Santos and surrounding regions bore the brunt of the quake.

According to an initial government assessment, about 2,000 homes and more than 100 government buildings and facilities had been damaged.

Powerful aftershocks are complicating rescue and recovery efforts.

"There's a lot of totally damaged and partially damaged houses," Kristin Roxas from aid agency World Vision Philippines said.

"There are children along the streets, living in outdoor tents."

Authorities say 32,000 people have been displaced by the earthquake, with many now in emergency shelters.

A rescuer prepares equipment for a search operation. (AP Photo/Basilio Sepe)

"We are anticipating that number will rise," Faisah Ali from Save the Children Philippines said.

"Evacuation centres cannot accommodate everybody, we have seen families that are are staying outside."

Also complicating matters are blackouts, damaged telecommunications networks, and damaged roads and bridges.

"We have heard from the communities during our assessment that they have no access to electricity, the internet and the network is currently down," Ms Ali said.

"There are also reports of landslides and damaged roads, so some families are currently isolated and they are asking for immediate