Philippine Quake Kills Up to 60 as Rescue Efforts Continue

Quake Kills 31 in Central Philippines, Rescue Efforts Ongoing

Rescuers continued to search through collapsed buildings on Wednesday after a powerful 6.9-magnitude earthquake struck the central Philippines, killing up to 60 people, officials said. Many remain trapped, and authorities warned that the toll could rise further.

The shallow quake hit late Tuesday off Bogo, a city of 90,000 near the northern tip of Cebu island, according to the US Geological Survey. It caused buildings to collapse, roads to crack, and widespread damage across the region.

Cebu provincial governor Pamela Baricuatro said 25 deaths were confirmed in Bogo alone, with medical staff treating patients outside the hospital due to the overwhelming number of casualties. Additional deaths were reported elsewhere, while at least 147 people were injured and 22 buildings damaged across the central islands.

Dramatic footage shared online showed the belfry of a centuries-old Catholic church on Bantayan island collapsing, while in Cebu City, parts of a mall ceiling fell and a bridge swayed violently, forcing motorists and pedestrians to cling for safety.

“There could be people trapped beneath collapsed buildings,” said provincial rescue official Wilson Ramos. Recovery efforts were hampered overnight by darkness and hundreds of aftershocks, with the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology recording more than 370 tremors since the main quake.

The quake also caused power outages across Cebu and nearby islands, though electricity was restored in most areas shortly after midnight. Several roads, schools, and commercial buildings sustained damage.

Rafaelito Alejandro, deputy administrator of the Office of Civil Defence, said the situation remains fluid. “We are receiving additional reports of casualties. As many as 60 individuals are feared dead in this earthquake,” he said.

The USGS initially recorded the tremor at magnitude 7.0 before revising it to 6.9. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center confirmed there was no tsunami threat.

The Philippines lies on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” a zone of intense seismic activity. While minor quakes occur frequently, destructive earthquakes strike unpredictably, often with devastating consequences.