Select Language:
A strong 6.9 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of central Philippines on Tuesday evening. The tremor caused buildings and roads to shake, with some structures collapsing and power outages affecting parts of the region as rescue teams searched for possible victims.
Municipal authorities inspected a collapsed public building and a gym in northern Cebu within hours of the quake, which occurred at 9:59 p.m. (1359 GMT) off the island’s northern tip, according to provincial rescue official Wilson Ramos.
“There may be people trapped beneath collapsed buildings,” Ramos told AFP, mentioning ongoing rescue operations in San Remigio and Bogo, a city near the epicenter with a population of around 90,000. The number of missing persons remained unknown at that time.
Darkness and aftershocks hindered recovery efforts. The U.S. Geological Survey recorded four aftershocks of magnitude 5.0 or greater following the initial quake.
The local seismology office warned residents of the central islands—Leyte, Cebu, and Biliran—to avoid beaches and coastlines due to the potential for minor sea-level disturbances.
Cebu firefighter Joey Leeguid shared with AFP that he felt the tremor at his station: “It was so strong. Our lockers moved side to side, and I felt slightly dizzy for a moment, but everyone is safe now.”
In Bantayan, a nearby resort town close to the epicenter, resident Martham Pacilan recounted being near a church that was damaged by the quake: “I heard a loud booming noise from the church’s direction, then saw rocks falling. Fortunately, no one was hurt.” He added, “I was in shock and panic, unable to move, just waiting for the shaking to stop.”
Power outages were widespread after the quake caused power lines to trip. Agnes Merza, a caretaker in Bantayan, said her kitchen tiles cracked when the earth shook: “It felt like the whole house might fall apart. My neighbors rushed outside, and my teenage helpers hid under a table following scout safety instructions.”
The provincial government reported the collapse of a school and a commercial building in Bantayan, along with damage to several village roads.
The authorities urged calm, with Cebu’s governor Pamela Baricuatro advising residents via a live Facebook broadcast to evacuate to open areas, stay away from structures that could collapse, and remain alert to aftershocks. She explained that officials were assessing the situation and coordinating with local officials.
While the USGS initially estimated the quake at magnitude 7.0, that figure was later revised downward. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center announced there was no tsunami threat from this seismic event.
Earthquakes are common in the Philippines due to its location on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” a zone of frequent seismic activity stretching from Japan through Southeast Asia and across the Pacific. Most are minor and go unnoticed, but occasionally, powerful quakes occur without warning, posing ongoing risks with no precise prediction methods available.
ChatGPT
Perplexity
Gemini AI
Grok AI
