Earthquake hits Philippines: The epicentre of the earthquake, which was set off by a local fault, was about 17 kilometres northeast of Bogo, a coastal city of about 90,000 people in Cebu province where at least 14 residents died.
Over 31 people killed and several others were injured after a strong earthquake of 6.9 magnitude has hit Philippines. Many buildings and houses were damaged, sending local residents scrambling out of homes into darkness as the intense shaking cut off power, officials said.
Epicentre of earthquake was 17 kms northeast of Bogo
The epicentre of the earthquake, which was set off by a local fault, was about 17 kilometres northeast of Bogo, a coastal city of about 90,000 people in Cebu province where at least 14 residents died, disaster-mitigation officer Rex Ygot told The Associated Press by telephone.
The death toll in Bogo was expected to rise. Workers were trying to transport a backhoe to hasten search and rescue efforts in a cluster of shanties in a mountain village hit by a landslide and boulders, he said.
โIt’s hard to move in the area because there are hazards,โ Glenn Ursal, another disaster-mitigation officer told The AP, adding some survivors were brought to a hospital.
Six people killed in San Remigio town
Six people, including three coast guard personnel, a firefighter and a child, were killed separately in San Remigio town, south of Bogo, the town’s vice mayor, Alfie Reynes, told the DZMM radio network without elaborating how the victims died.
Reynes appealed for food and water, saying San Remigio’s water system was damaged by the earthquake.
Earthquake damages concrete walls of houses
In Bogo, the quake damaged concrete walls of houses, a fire station and concrete and asphalt roads, firefighter Rey Caรฑete said.
โWe were in our barracks to retire for the day when the ground started to shake and we rushed out but stumbled to the ground because of the intense shaking,โ Caรฑete told The AP, adding that he and three other firemen sustained cuts and bruises.
A concrete wall in their fire station collapsed, Caรฑete said. He and fellow firefighters provided first-aid to at least three residents, who were injured by falling debris and collapsed walls.
Hundreds of terrified residents gathered in the darkness in a grassy field near the fire station and refused to return home hours after the earthquake struck in Bogo.
Business establishments sustain damages
Several business establishments visibly sustained damages and the asphalt and concrete roads where they passed had deep cracks, Caรฑete said, adding that an old Roman Catholic church in Daanbantayan town near Bogo was also damaged.
Cebu Gov. Pamela Baricuatro said the extent of the damage and injuries in Bogo and outlying towns in the northern section of the province would not be known until daytime. โIt could be worse than we think,โ he said in a video message posted on Facebook.
Tsunami warning issued
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology briefly issued a tsunami warning and advised people to stay away from the coastlines in Cebu and in the nearby provinces of Leyte and Biliran due to possible waves of up to 1 meter (3 feet).
Teresito Bacolcol, director of the institute, said the tsunami warning was later lifted with no unusual waves being monitored.
Cebu and other provinces were still recovering from a storm that battered the central region on Friday, leaving at least 27 people dead mostly due to drownings and falling trees, knocking out power in entire cities and towns and forcing the evacuation of tens of thousands of people.
With inputs from AP