A powerful 6.9-magnitude earthquake struck the central Philippines late Tuesday, killing at least 69 people and leaving hundreds injured as rescue teams raced to reach communities cut off by collapsed roads and landslides. The quake’s epicenter was recorded near Bogo City in northern Cebu province and was shallow enough to cause widespread structural damage across multiple towns, according to national disaster agencies. Local hospitals were overwhelmed and many residents spent the night outdoors fearing aftershocks.
Provincial officials moved quickly to declare Cebu under a state of calamity to free emergency funds and accelerate relief operations, while mayors in hardest-hit municipalities appealed for heavy equipment, food and clean water. Several buildings — including churches, a sports complex and bridges — collapsed; authorities said some fatalities occurred when a sports complex in San Remigio gave way during a basketball game. Power and communications outages and blocked highways are complicating search-and-rescue efforts as teams use backhoes, sniffer dogs and manual digging to find survivors.
Aftershocks, some strong, continued through Wednesday, and seismologists warned that more tremors were likely in the coming days. The quake followed heavy rains and recent storms in the region, raising the risk of landslides and making access to isolated villages more perilous. Authorities have reported dozens more people missing or unaccounted for as damage assessments continue; the national government has pledged to mobilize resources and coordinate relief with provincial responders.
International governments and aid agencies have expressed condolences and stand ready to assist if requested, while local relief centers have begun receiving displaced families. Officials urged the public to stay away from damaged structures and follow guidance from the Office of Civil Defense and the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Center as emergency teams prioritize stabilizing critical infrastructure and locating survivors. The death toll is expected to change as searches continue.
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