At least 26 killed as powerful earthquake strikes central Philippines

At least 26 people have been killed and almost 150 injured in a powerful magnitude 6.9 earthquake that struck off the coast of the central Philippine island province of Cebu, collapsing buildings, sending people running onto the streets, and knocking power out in some areas.

The United States Geological Survey said the earthquake struck at 9:59pm local time on Tuesday (13:59 GMT) off Cebu Island’s northern tip near Bogo, a city of some 90,000 residents, and was followed by four earthquakes of magnitude 5 or higher in the area after the first tremor.

The Philippines National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council listed 26 deaths and 147 injuries as of early Wednesday, with 22 buildings damaged.

Local authorities have declared a “state of calamity” in parts of Cebu, according to local news outlets.

The quake caused power outages and brought down buildings, including a church that was more than 100 years old. Local television showed motorcycle riders being forced to dismount from their bikes and hold onto the railings as a Cebu bridge rocked violently.

The Cebu provincial government put out a call on its official Facebook page for medical volunteers to assist in the aftermath of the quake.

At least 13 people, four of them minors, were also reported killed in Bogo City, and two deaths were reported in the towns of Medellin and Tabuelan, provincial officials said.

The Archdiocesan Shrine of Santa Rosa de Lima, a church in Daanbantayan, a town in Cebu province, said the structure had partially collapsed. Power also went out in the town.

The Philippines lies in the Pacific Ring of Fire, where volcanic activity and earthquakes are common, and experiences near-daily earthquakes. A powerful magnitude 7 quake in July 2022 killed at least five people and injured 60.

In December 2023, another large earthquake shook the southern Philippines, killing at least one person and forcing thousands to evacuate.