CEBU, Philippines: At least 60 people were killed after a powerful 6.9-magnitude earthquake struck the central Philippine province of Cebu late Tuesday, flattening homes, damaging buildings, and cutting power across several towns, officials said.
The earthquake, traced to movement along a local fault at a depth of five kilometres, struck about 19 km northeast of Bogo, a coastal city of 90,000 people. The shaking forced thousands of residents into the streets in darkness as power lines snapped and structures collapsed.
Casualties Across Cebu Towns
Disaster officials confirmed 14 deaths in Bogo, where rescuers are struggling to reach shanties buried by a landslide and boulders. “It’s hard to move in the area because there are hazards,” said local officer Glenn Ursal, warning the toll could rise.
In Medellin town, at least 12 people died after ceilings and walls caved in, many while they were asleep. In nearby San Remigio, five victims—including three coast guard personnel, a firefighter, and a child—were killed by collapsing walls as they fled a disrupted basketball game, Vice Mayor Alfie Reynes told local radio. Reynes appealed for urgent food and water, noting the town’s water system had been destroyed.
Infrastructure Damage and Panic
The quake damaged a fire station, cracked major concrete and asphalt roads, and left several business establishments in ruins. A historic Catholic church in Daanbantayan was damaged, while the belfry of another in Bantayan town collapsed, toppling a nearby commercial building and school.
“We rushed out of our barracks but stumbled because of the intense shaking,” said firefighter Rey Cañete, who sustained cuts and bruises along with three colleagues. Residents gathered in open fields, too afraid to return home hours after the quake.
In Bantayan, eyewitnesses described moments of terror. “I heard a loud booming noise, then saw rocks falling from the church belfry. Luckily no one got hurt,” said local resident Martham Pacilan, 25.
Official Response
Cebu Governor Pamela Baricuatro warned the extent of damage could be greater than initial reports suggest. “It could be worse than we think,” she said in a video message.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology briefly issued a tsunami alert, warning of possible one-metre waves along Cebu, Leyte, and Biliran coasts. The advisory was lifted after no unusual sea activity was recorded.
The quake comes as Cebu and nearby provinces were still reeling from a storm that struck on Friday, killing at least 27 people and leaving thousands displaced.
