At Least 72 Dead After 6.9 Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Philippines

At least 72 people are dead after a devastating 6.9 magnitude earthquake struck in the center of the Philippines yesterday, wreaking havoc across the archipelago.

The earthquake struck just off the coast of the island of Cebu, located at the center of the Philippines, on Tuesday night, meaning that most of the damage was done in the Visayas region– the middle of the three Philippine regions. Additionally, the shallow nature of the earthquake, at just 6.2 miles deep, caused extremely intense shaking across the area, with the effects being felt hundreds of miles away.

At least 72 people have been confirmed dead, and around 300 others were injured as buildings collapsed, power lines came down, and serious damage was also done to several bridges and roads. Most of the damage was done on Cebu Island, primarily near Bogo City, which was the closest city to the epicenter.

Authorities also confirmed that a destructive landslide near the city had caused the deaths of at least 14 people, and search-and-rescue teams are working to recover any remaining bodies from the rubble of the landslide and other buildings.

Due to the earthquake's late-night timing, residents were even more unprepared for the sudden shaking, and various strong aftershocks after the incident continued for hours. People were forced to quickly evacuate their homes, but they were not left in the dark– authorities quickly set up mobile kitchens and supplied temporary power to some areas, and hospitals quickly became a central hub for recovering dead bodies.

However, persistent heavy rain hindered those efforts, leaving some people in more rural areas to make it through without assistance. Authorities are still working to deliver food and water to most regions, along with heavy machinery to remove the rubble. They have also confirmed that they expect the death toll to rise in the coming days as search-and-rescue operations continue.

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