Deadly 6.9 quake jolts Philippines, leaving dozens dead and hundreds injured: Video
A powerful 6.9-magnitude earthquake struck the central Philippines late Tuesday, killing at least 69 people and injuring more than 150 others, according to disaster officials.
The quake, one of the strongest to hit the country in a decade, caused widespread damage across Cebu province, an island of 3.4 million people located in the central island group of Visayas, prompting urgent rescue and relief operations.
The shallow quake struck at 9:59 p.m. local time, with the epicenter recorded off the coast of Bogo City at a depth of about 5 to 10 kilometres, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said.
Authorities confirmed dozens of casualties in northern Cebu towns, including San Remigio, where a sports complex partially collapsed during a basketball game. Other victims were reported trapped under debris in several municipalities, with children among those killed.
The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office reported major disruptions in communication and electricity across Bogo, Daanbantayan, and San Remigio. Hospitals in the affected areas were overwhelmed with patients, prompting the deployment of additional doctors, nurses, and supplies by the Philippine Coast Guard and the Department of Health.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered a full-scale relief effort, directing cabinet officials to Cebu to oversee distribution of aid and assess damage.
Emergency shelters were set up for displaced families as authorities appealed for food, water, and medical assistance in northern Cebu, where supply lines were cut by the quake.
Phivolcs reported that the earthquake generated a “destructive” Intensity 7 in several towns near the epicenter. No tsunami threat was detected, but nearly 800 aftershocks were recorded within the first 12 hours, including one at magnitude 6.
Local officials estimated that hundreds of homes and public structures were damaged or destroyed, including a 100-year-old church.
Videos shared on social media showed residents rushing into the streets as buildings shook and crumbled.
The earthquake disrupted daily life across Cebu, one of the country’s most important tourism and business hubs.
Seismologists said the quake was likely triggered by a local fault line that had not generated a powerful tremor in more than 400 years.
The Philippines sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire, a seismically active belt where earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occur frequently.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
