Death toll rises to 27 after powerful quake hits central Philippines
The death toll from a powerful 6.9-magnitude earthquake in the central Philippines has risen to 27, with more than 140 people injured, and officials on Wednesday warned the numbers could climb further as rescuers access collapsed buildings.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) first logged the tremor at magnitude 6.7 before revising it upward, while the US Geological Survey initially reported a 7.0 before downgrading. The quake hit at 9.59pm, some 21 kilometres northeast of Bogo City at a shallow depth of five kilometres.
Phivolcs warned of possible minor sea disturbances and urged residents of Cebu, Leyte and Biliran to avoid coastlines, though the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre dismissed any tsunami risk.
Rising death toll
By Wednesday, officials confirmed 27 fatalities, with the figure expected to climb as rescuers scoured collapsed buildings and debris. Nine of the dead were from Bogo City, near the epicentre. In contrast, others included a firefighter, three coastguard personnel, and a young boy crushed by a collapsing wall in San Remigio. Casualties were also reported in Medellin.
San Remigio’s police chief, Captain Jan Elcid Layug, described the destruction as “significant”, adding that the child victim had been asleep when his home gave way.
Heritage churches crumble
The quake left a trail of destruction across northern Cebu’s historic churches. The Archdiocesan Shrine of Santa Rosa de Lima in Daanbantayan partly collapsed, parishioners said. On Bantayan Island, residents filmed the Parroquia de San Pedro Apostol shaking violently as pieces of its facade fell. In Bantayan town, witness Martham Pacilan recalled hearing a “booming noise” before rocks tumbled from the church.
Residents’ accounts
Locals described the quake as terrifying. Firefighter Joey Leeguid in San Fernando said lockers shook violently and staff were left dizzy. On Bantayan Island, 65-year-old carer Agnes Merza said her kitchen tiles cracked as neighbours rushed into the streets. “It felt as if we would all collapse. My teenage helpers hid under a table as they were taught in the Boy Scouts,” she told AFP.
Provincial response and power outages
Cebu’s provincial government reported collapsed buildings, including a school and a commercial block in Bantayan, as well as damaged village roads. Officials noted the late hour likely reduced casualties, with many workplaces empty.
The National Grid Corp. said the quake tripped transmission lines, causing widespread outages.
Governor Pamela Baricuatro went live online to urge calm, advising residents to stay in open areas, keep away from unstable walls, and brace for aftershocks.
Hospitals in Bogo City were packed with patients, prompting the Capitol to dispatch medical teams and volunteers. Baricuatro said Malacañang had pledged relief supplies, and she would personally visit the affected areas.
Phivolcs has so far recorded more than 280 aftershocks.
Philippines’ seismic vulnerability
Seismologists reminded the public that the Philippines, located along the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” is one of the world’s most earthquake-prone nations. Most quakes are weak, but destructive tremors strike without warning.
