More than 50 people are dead after a powerful 6.9-magnitude earthquake struck the central Philippines on Tuesday night, causing power outages and triggering a state of emergency.
The earthquake occurred northeast of the coast from Bogo, a costal city of about 90 000, shortly before 10 p.m. local time, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology.
The Bogo City Hospital reported a death toll of 53 as of Wednesday morning, which could rise as more bodies are brought to the facility, reported ABS-CBN News. That included a 10-year-old boy from a nearby town who died after being trapped in the rubble.
Capt. Jan Ace Elcid Layug, head of the police force in nearby San Remigio, told the news outlet that the victims included a local firefighter and members of the coast guard.
“They were playing basketball inside the sports complex, then it collapsed,” he said.
More than 140 people have been injured so far, a number that could also rise as rescuers make their way into collapsed buildings, including a church that is more than 100 years old, reported Rappler.
Cebu’s provincial government declared a state of calamity, closing schools, calling for donations of essential items and dispatching medical teams to affected areas, according to a series of posts on its Facebook page. Those posts also included a picture of the damage the Bogo City Hall sustained during the earthquake.
“Let us keep each other safe,” provincial Gov. Pam Baricuatro said in a Facebook post, adding, “Together, we will get through this.”
While authorities were coordinating their response, she asked residents to send in photos of damage or areas that needed assistance. She also urged residents to “stay away from walls or structures that may collapse, and stay alert for possible aftershocks.”
The temblor was followed by dozens of aftershocks that extended into early Wednesday morning. Officials have called on people living on the coast to move inland and for the public to stay away from the beach while keeping an eye out for “unusual waves,” reported ABS-CBN News. (UPI)
