Death Toll from Philippines Earthquake Rises to 69, Official Says

The death toll from a magnitude 6.9 earthquake in central Philippines has climbed to 69, a disaster official said Wednesday, as the government deployed agencies to search for survivors and restore power and water supplies.

In Bogo City, north of Cebu province and close to the quake’s offshore epicenter late Tuesday night, hospitals were “overwhelmed,” civil defense officer Raffy Alejandro told reporters.

Regional civil defense spokesperson Jen Abapo said the figure was based on reports from the Cebu provincial disaster office and was still awaiting confirmation. Another official noted that more than 150 people were injured.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. pledged swift assistance for survivors and expressed condolences to those who lost loved ones, saying cabinet secretaries were overseeing relief efforts.

Cebu, one of the Philippines’ top tourist destinations and home to 3.4 million people, sustained significant damage, though its Mactan-Cebu International Airport, the country’s second-busiest gateway, remained operational.

San Remigio, another badly affected city, was placed under a state of calamity to facilitate rescue and relief operations. Vice Mayor Alfi Reñes appealed for food, water, and heavy equipment to support search-and-rescue efforts.

“It’s raining heavily and there’s no power, so we really need help, especially in the northern part, where water supplies have run short after the pipelines were damaged by the quake,” Reñes told DZMM radio.

In Pilar, resident Archel Coraza said her family rushed outside when their home began to shake violently while most were asleep. Living near the shoreline, she also noticed the sea receding after the tremor.

Local media shared footage of people fleeing buildings as the ground shook, including one clip showing the collapse of a century-old church.

Reñes said some victims were playing basketball inside a sports complex in San Remigio when the structure partially collapsed.

Seismology agencies reported the quake struck at a depth of about 10 km (6.2 miles) and was followed by several aftershocks, the strongest measuring magnitude 6. Authorities confirmed there was no tsunami threat.

The Philippines lies on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” an area prone to volcanic eruptions and frequent earthquakes. Earlier this year, two strong quakes struck without casualties, while in 2023, an offshore 6.7 magnitude tremor killed eight people.