Massive Earthquake In Philippines: Death Toll Climbs To 60
Cebu, Philippines: A 6.9-magnitude massive earthquake has struck Cebu province in the central Philippines on Wednesday morning, with an increasing number of fatalities being reported. The official death toll has risen to 60 so far, according to the Philippines’ Office of Civil Defense (OCD). The incident has caused widespread damage to infrastructure and historic churches while triggering over 100 aftershocks.
There are reports that several are missing, and the actual fatalities are yet to be confirmed, said Assistant Secretary Bernardo Rafaelito Alejandro, the deputy administrator for the OCD.
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The organization is verifying the identities of the missing people. Over 150 people were injured, and many are believed to have been trapped under the debris.
With rescuers searching collapsed buildings amid heavy rain and power outages, Cebu authorities declared a state of calamity in the region..
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The epicenter of the earthquake was about 19 kilometers northeast of Bogo in Cebu province. Following the strike, a tsunami warning was issued by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology advising people to stay away from the coastlines in Cebu and in the nearby provinces of Leyte and Biliran. The warning was lifted later.
Notably, the Philippines is considered one of the most disaster-prone countries in the world and is often struck by earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
