Death Toll Rises to 69 After 6.9-Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Central Philippines

A  devastating 6.9-magnitude earthquake struck at9:59 PM (13:59 GMT) on Tuesday near the northern end of Cebu Island, close to Bogo, home to around 90,000 residents, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS).

Leftat least 69 people dead and  over 140 injured  as  homes collapsed, roads cracked, and entire communities plunged into chaos. Rescue teams are racing against time, navigating damaged infrastructure and aftershocks to reach survivors.

The Earthquake, recorded at a shallow depth of just 5 kilometres, shook homes and toppled buildings, leaving large cracks in roads and triggering power outages across several provinces. Authorities declared a state of calamity in some of the worst-hit areas to accelerate relief and recovery efforts.

Rescue operations are underway amid reports of people still trapped under collapsed structures. Officials warned that the casualty count may rise further as teams struggle to reach remote communities cut off by debris and damaged infrastructure.

More than 600 aftershocks have rattled the region since the main tremor, fueling panic among residents. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology initially issued a tsunami warning but later lifted it after no major waves were detected.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ordered government agencies to prioritise rescue, medical aid, and relief supply distribution in the affected areas. “Our focus is on saving lives and ensuring survivors have immediate support,” officials quoted him as saying.

The Philippines, located on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” is one of the world’s most disaster-prone nations, frequently struck by earthquakes, typhoons, and volcanic eruptions.

ALSO READ:  Days After 5.8 Quake in Assam, Arunachal Hosts Large-Scale Earthquake Response Exercise