At least 69 people have been killed and dozens injured after a powerful 6.9 magnitude earthquake struck the central Philippines late on Tuesday. The province of Cebu, which suffered the brunt of the damage, declared a state of calamity early on Wednesday, after thousands spent the night on the streets amid repeated aftershocks. One Cebu resident told the BBC he was among them, adding that power and water supplies were cut off. He says the voices of crying children could be heard around him, adding that they were 'traumatised'. The earthquake comes barely more than a week after the country was hit by back-to-back typhoons which killed more than 20 people.
Most of the earthquake victims were from Bogo, a small town on one of the largest islands in the Visayas Islands, and the place closest to the earthquake's epicentre. Images coming out of Bogo show body bags lined on the street and hundreds of people being treated in tent hospitals. Officials have warned of 'a lot of damage' caused by the earthquakes. The local authorities have appealed for volunteers with medical experience to help deal with injuries. Buckled and cracked roads, and fallen bridges are also making access difficult for emergency services. Power lines in many places are down, meaning that it's also been hard to speak to those affected.
Seven of those who died in Tuesday's earthquake in Bogo had lived in a village built to house victims of Typhoon Haiyan, which struck the central Philippines 12 years ago, killing more than 6,000 people. In the municipality of San Remigio, a basketball game was being played when the earthquake struck, and almost 20 people at the game were sent to the hospital, with at least one person later dying.
Officials from the national police and fire bureau say they are prioritising search and rescue operations, rushing to restore electricity and delivering relief supplies to those affected. On Wednesday evening, Bogo was hit by yet another aftershock, this one at a magnitude of 4.7, with tremors felt in Cebu city and the neighbouring Leyte islands. There were no known casualties. Cebu's archbishop has advised devotees to stay away from churches, pending structural assessments, highlighting the damage to some old churches significant to the island's history.
The Philippines is very vulnerable to natural disasters due to its location on the geologically unstable 'Ring of Fire'. The national disaster agency releases official casualty figures for typhoons and earthquakes, although the count is often slow due to rigorous checks.
Most of the earthquake victims were from Bogo, a small town on one of the largest islands in the Visayas Islands, and the place closest to the earthquake's epicentre. Images coming out of Bogo show body bags lined on the street and hundreds of people being treated in tent hospitals. Officials have warned of 'a lot of damage' caused by the earthquakes. The local authorities have appealed for volunteers with medical experience to help deal with injuries. Buckled and cracked roads, and fallen bridges are also making access difficult for emergency services. Power lines in many places are down, meaning that it's also been hard to speak to those affected.
Seven of those who died in Tuesday's earthquake in Bogo had lived in a village built to house victims of Typhoon Haiyan, which struck the central Philippines 12 years ago, killing more than 6,000 people. In the municipality of San Remigio, a basketball game was being played when the earthquake struck, and almost 20 people at the game were sent to the hospital, with at least one person later dying.
Officials from the national police and fire bureau say they are prioritising search and rescue operations, rushing to restore electricity and delivering relief supplies to those affected. On Wednesday evening, Bogo was hit by yet another aftershock, this one at a magnitude of 4.7, with tremors felt in Cebu city and the neighbouring Leyte islands. There were no known casualties. Cebu's archbishop has advised devotees to stay away from churches, pending structural assessments, highlighting the damage to some old churches significant to the island's history.
The Philippines is very vulnerable to natural disasters due to its location on the geologically unstable 'Ring of Fire'. The national disaster agency releases official casualty figures for typhoons and earthquakes, although the count is often slow due to rigorous checks.
