A 6.9-magnitude earthquake off the coast of Bogo City in Cebu province killed 69 people, and a disaster official reported on Wednesday that rescue teams were searching for survivors while crews worked to restore utilities. The shallow quake struck the central Philippines just before 10 p.m. on Tuesday, and it caused widespread power outages, collapsed buildings, and damaged a church that had stood for more than a century. Civil Defence official Raffy Alejandro told reporters that the hospital in Bogo city had been overwhelmed with casualties.
Cebu province, home to 3.4 million residents, is among the nation's leading tourist destinations, but northern areas such as San Remigio suffered the most severe damage from the tremor. Mactan-Cebu International Airport, the country's second-busiest gateway, continued operating despite the disaster. Authorities declared a state of calamity in San Remigio to speed up response efforts, and government agencies mobilized to assist affected communities in the central Visayas region.
Cebu province, home to 3.4 million residents, is among the nation's leading tourist destinations, but northern areas such as San Remigio suffered the most severe damage from the tremor. Mactan-Cebu International Airport, the country's second-busiest gateway, continued operating despite the disaster. Authorities declared a state of calamity in San Remigio to speed up response efforts, and government agencies mobilized to assist affected communities in the central Visayas region.
