Philippine authorities report 72 fatalities from a magnitude 6.9 earthquake that struck on Tuesday night, and rescue teams warn the number may increase as operations continue. The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council confirmed deaths across multiple municipalities, with Bogo City recording 30 victims, San Remigio 22, Medellin 12, Tabogon five, and single fatalities in Sogod, Tabuelan, and Borbon.
The United States Geological Survey recorded the tremor at 9:59 p.m. local time near Calape in the Visayas region, approximately 12 kilometers from the epicenter. Buildings crumbled across affected zones, a Cebu City shopping center sustained damage, and fires broke out following the disaster.
The earthquake marks the deadliest seismic event in the Philippines since 2013, when a 7.2 magnitude quake killed more than 200 people in Bohol province. First responders and children were among those killed when structures collapsed, officials confirmed.
The United States Geological Survey recorded the tremor at 9:59 p.m. local time near Calape in the Visayas region, approximately 12 kilometers from the epicenter. Buildings crumbled across affected zones, a Cebu City shopping center sustained damage, and fires broke out following the disaster.
The earthquake marks the deadliest seismic event in the Philippines since 2013, when a 7.2 magnitude quake killed more than 200 people in Bohol province. First responders and children were among those killed when structures collapsed, officials confirmed.
