Magnitude 6.9 earthquake hits off central Philippines coast | Earthquakes News

Earthquake sends folks working into the streets, damages buildings after hitting off Cebu island.

A magnitude 6.9 earthquake has struck off the coast of the central Philippines, sending folks working into the streets and knocking energy out in some areas.

The quake struck at sea on Tuesday off the northern tip of Cebu island and close to Bogo, a metropolis of greater than 90,000 folks, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology stated, including that it anticipated each injury and aftershocks.

The institute urged residents within the provinces of Cebu, Leyte and Biliran to avoid the coast because of a “minor sea degree disturbance” and informed them to “be on alert for uncommon waves”.

Nonetheless, there was no tsunami menace after the tremor, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Heart stated.

“We’re nonetheless assessing the injury,” Pamela Baricuatro, the governor of Cebu, stated in a video posted on social media.

“But it surely may very well be worse than we expect,” stated Baricuatro, including that she has been in contact with the president’s workplace and is asking for support.

No casualties have been instantly reported by the Philippine authorities.

The Cebu provincial authorities stated a business constructing and a faculty in Bantayan had collapsed, nonetheless, whereas plenty of village roads had additionally sustained injury.

“There may very well be folks trapped beneath collapsed buildings,” provincial rescue official Wilson Ramos informed the AFP information company, including that he didn’t understand how many individuals are lacking.

The US Geological Service additionally recorded 4 earthquakes of magnitude 5.0 or greater within the space following the primary tremor.

‘Shock and panic’

Cebu firefighter Joey Leeguid informed AFP from the city of San Fernando that he felt the quake at his hearth station.

“We noticed our locker transferring from left to proper. We felt barely dizzy for some time, however we’re all tremendous now,” Leeguid stated.

Martham Pacilan, a 25-year-old resident of the resort city of Bantayan close to the epicentre, stated he was on the city sq. close to a church when the quake struck.

“I heard a loud booming noise from the path of the church. Then I noticed rocks falling from the construction. Fortunately, nobody obtained harm,” he informed AFP.

“I used to be in shock and in panic on the identical time, however my physique couldn’t transfer. I used to be simply there ready for the shaking to cease.”

The Archdiocesan Shrine of Santa Rosa de Lima, a church in Daanbantayan, a city in Cebu province, stated the construction had partially collapsed. Energy additionally went out in Daanbantayan.

The Philippines experiences near-daily earthquakes, and a powerful magnitude 7 quake in July 2022 killed not less than 5 folks and injured 60 others.

In December 2023, one other large earthquake shook the southern Philippines, killing not less than one particular person and forcing 1000’s to evacuate.