PICTURED: Huge inferno reduces village to ruins as orange flames and billows of smoke soar into Filipino skies

Stilt houses constructed from highly combustible materials proved particularly vulnerable as the inferno jumped from building to building.

Aerial footage captured online reveals the sheer devastation, with rooftops engulfed in flames and structures collapsing into a sea of orange fire.

Vast portions of what was once a thriving shoreline community now lie in ashes, with drone imagery showing blackened stilts and scattered debris along the waterfront.

Powerful gusts of wind drove the flames through the densely packed neighbourhood, allowing the fire to spread beyond control as it consumed one dwelling after another.

Emergency crews battled throughout the night before finally containing the inferno at approximately 2am on Wednesday morning.

By that point, however, enormous swathes of the residential area had already been destroyed.

Initial assessments have confirmed that no lives were lost despite the severity of the disaster.

Hundreds of families have been moved to temporary accommodation as authorities launched emergency relief efforts.

Residents recounted scenes of panic and confusion as the fire advanced, with people grabbing whatever possessions they could carry before fleeing their homes.

The once-bustling community now stands in ruins, its charred remains a stark reminder of the night's destruction.

Bangsamoro Chief Minister Abdulraof Macacua has directed that essential supplies be dispatched immediately to those affected, including food, drinking water, tents, medical equipment and security personnel.

The Bangsamoro Rapid Emergency Action on Disaster Incidence, known as READi, is working alongside the Ministry of Social Services and Development to coordinate the humanitarian response.

Local officials and Tawi-Tawi Governor Yshmael Sali are also involved in the relief operation.

For those who lost everything, the emotional toll has been immense.

"It's heartbreaking everything we built is gone," one displaced resident said.

The remote location of the island province presents additional challenges for aid delivery, with community leaders calling for sustained support to help families rebuild their lives.

Authorities have calculated that the destruction caused by the blaze amounts to more than ₱17.5 million in damages.

Investigators are still working to determine what sparked the inferno, though preliminary reports suggest the fire may have originated within a residential property.

The inquiry remains ongoing as officials piece together the sequence of events that led to such widespread devastation.

Community leaders in the remote island province have issued urgent appeals for donations and long-term assistance to help residents reconstruct their homes and livelihoods.

The scale of the rebuilding effort required is substantial, with an entire neighbourhood needing to be restored from the ground up.

Authorities continue to assess the full extent of the damage as relief operations proceed.