The death toll from the 6,9-magnitude earthquake that struck the central Philippines has risen to 69, a disaster official said Wednesday, as the government mobilized agencies to search for survivors and restore power and water supplies.
In the northern Cebu province of Bogo, which was near the epicenter of the shallow quake that struck shortly before 22 p.m. Tuesday, the hospital was “overwhelmed,” civil defense official Raffy Alejandro told reporters. The death toll of 69 was based on data from the Cebu provincial disaster office and was subject to verification, said Jane Abapo, information officer for the regional civil defense office. Another official said more than 150 people were injured. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. promised swift assistance, saying officials were on the ground directing relief operations, and expressed condolences to those who had lost loved ones.
Cebu, one of the most popular tourist destinations in the Philippines, is home to 3,4 million people. Despite the damage, Mactan-Cebu International Airport, the country's second-busiest gateway, remained operational.
Another hard-hit town, San Remigio, is under state of disaster measures to help with response and relief efforts. Deputy Mayor Alfie Reynes appealed for food and water for the evacuees, as well as heavy equipment to help the rescuers.
"It's raining heavily and there's no electricity, so we really need help, especially in the northern part because there's a water shortage after the supply pipes were damaged by the earthquake," Reynes told DZMM radio.
In the nearby town of Pilar, resident Archel Coraz said most of his family was asleep when their house began shaking violently.
"I woke them up and we all ran out into the street," he told DZMM. Coraza, who lives near the coast, said he saw the sea water receding after the quake.
Local media released videos of people fleeing their homes as the ground shook and buildings collapsed, including a more than 100-year-old church.
Reynes said that among the dead were people playing basketball at a sports complex in San Remigio that partially collapsed in the earthquake.
Seismological services estimated the depth of the earthquake at about 10 km and recorded several aftershocks, the strongest of which had a magnitude of 6. There was no threat of a tsunami after the earthquake.
The Philippines is located in the Pacific "Ring of Fire", where volcanic activity and earthquakes are frequent. The country had two major earthquakes in January, with no reported casualties. In 2023, eight people died in an earthquake of magnitude 6,7 at sea.
Photo: EPA/ARNOLD ALMACEN
