Death Toll Climbs to 72 After Powerful Earthquake Strikes Central Philippines

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CEBU, PHILIPPINES – A devastating magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck the central Philippines on Tuesday night, leaving a rising toll of death and destruction. Officials have confirmed that at least 72 people have been killed, with nearly 300 others injured, following the powerful and shallow tremor that hit the Visayas region.

The earthquake, which struck just before 10 p.m. local time, had its epicenter off the coast of Cebu Province, near the city of Bogo. The shallow depth of the quake intensified its destructive power, causing widespread structural damage, cutting off electricity, and triggering landslides.

Desperate Search for Survivors

The hardest-hit area is Bogo City, which has recorded the highest number of fatalities. Rescuers are in a desperate race against time—and hampered by damaged roads and intermittent rain—to search for an unspecified number of missing residents feared trapped beneath the rubble of collapsed homes and buildings.

Local officials have declared a state of calamity in parts of Cebu, appealing for essential supplies and equipment to aid the ongoing search and rescue operations.

Among the casualties reported across affected towns like San Remigio and Medellin are children and even first responders, including Coast Guard personnel and a firefighter, who were killed by falling debris. Hospitals in the region have been overwhelmed by the injured, with some facilities forced to treat patients outdoors due to the danger of aftershocks.

Infrastructure and Heritage Damaged

The sheer force of the tremor and subsequent aftershocks severely impacted local infrastructure. Power lines, bridges, and multiple buildings suffered severe damage, including a century-old church in the province that was reduced to rubble.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported that the quake has affected over 170,000 individuals, and officials warn that the death toll may still rise as the full extent of the damage is assessed in remote areas.

This quake is being called the deadliest to strike the Philippines since a 2013 earthquake killed over 200 people in the neighboring island of Bohol, underscoring the constant seismic threat faced by the country, which sits on the volatile Pacific "Ring of Fire."