Philippines Hit By 6.9-Magnitude Earthquake: 60 Dead, Buildings Collapsed

A powerful magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck off the coast of Cebu, a central Philippine island province, leaving at least 60 people dead and nearly 150 injured, according to Al Jazeera on Wednesday.

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) reported that the earthquake occurred at 9:59 PM local time on Tuesday (13:59 GMT) near the northern tip of Cebu Island, close to the city of Bogo, which is home to around 90,000 residents. The initial tremor was followed by four additional quakes of magnitude 5 or higher in the same region.

Rafaelito Alejandro, deputy administrator of the Philippines Office of Civil Defence, confirmed the updated death toll on Wednesday, a significant rise from the 26 fatalities initially reported by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.

"We are receiving additional numbers of reported casualties so this thing is very fluid. We are receiving reports that as high as 60 individuals are reported to have perished in this earthquake," Alejandro told reporters in Manila.

Local authorities have declared a state of calamity in parts of Cebu. The earthquake caused widespread power outages and structural damage, including collapsed buildings. The Cebu provincial government issued a call on its official Facebook page for medical volunteers to assist in relief efforts.

Pamela Baricuatro, governor of Cebu, said in a social media video

"We are still assessing the damage, but it could be worse than we think."

She added that an unspecified number of houses and a hospital sustained damage and that emergency medical teams were being deployed to treat the injured. Baricuatro also confirmed she has been in touch with the president's office and requested additional aid.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) has urged residents in Cebu, Leyte, and Biliran to stay away from coastal areas due to a minor sea level disturbance and to remain alert for unusual waves.

The situation remains fluid as authorities continue to assess the full extent of the damage and casualties.

With ANI Inputs