PHILIPPINES, Oct 1: A powerful magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck off the coast of Cebu Island late Tuesday, killing at least 26 people, injuring nearly 150, and damaging dozens of buildings in the central Philippines.
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) said the tremor hit at 9:59 p.m. local time (13:59 GMT) near the northern tip of Cebu, close to Bogo City, which has about 90,000 residents. The quake was followed by at least four strong aftershocks measuring magnitude five or higher.
The Philippines National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) confirmed 26 deaths and 147 injuries as of early Wednesday. It reported damage to 22 buildings across Cebu and neighboring provinces.
Powerful undersea quake hits south Philippines, no damage
Governor Pamela Baricuatro of Cebu declared a state of calamity in parts of the province. In a video message posted on social media, she said, “We are still assessing the damage, but it could be worse than we think. I have spoken with the president’s office and requested immediate assistance.”
Baricuatro later confirmed that a number of houses and at least one hospital had been damaged. Emergency medical teams, she said, were being deployed to treat those trapped and injured.
Local television footage showed a 100-year-old church reduced to rubble, power outages across towns, and a Cebu bridge swaying violently as motorists clung to railings for safety.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) urged residents in Cebu, Leyte, and Biliran to stay away from the coast due to a “minor sea level disturbance” and warned of “unusual waves.”
In San Remigio, one of the hardest-hit towns, Vice Mayor Alfie Reynes appealed for urgent relief. “It is raining heavily and there is no electricity. We badly need food, clean water, and heavy equipment for rescue operations, especially in the northern part, where supply lines have been damaged,” Reynes told DZMM radio.
Police confirmed seven deaths in San Remigio, including personnel from the Bureau of Fire Protection and three members of the coastguard. “The victims were playing basketball inside a sports complex when it collapsed,” said police captain Jan Ace Elcid Layug.
At least 13 people, including four minors, were killed in Bogo City, while two deaths were reported in the towns of Medellin and Tabuelan, according to provincial officials.
The Archdiocesan Shrine of Santa Rosa de Lima in Daanbantayan, Cebu, also partially collapsed. The governor said trauma teams, doctors, and nurses had already been dispatched. “We urgently need medicine, food, and medical teams on the ground,” she added.
