At least 60 people have died following a powerful 6.9-magnitude earthquake off the coast of Cebu City in the central Visayas region of the Philippines, officials said, making it one of the country’s deadliest disasters this year.
The earthquake struck just before 10 p.m. local time (1400 GMT) on Tuesday, with the epicentre in northern Cebu at a depth of 10 km (6.2 miles). The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) initially reported the quake as magnitude 7.0, later revising it to 6.9. Multiple aftershocks followed, the strongest reaching magnitude 6.
The death toll has risen to 60, a civil defence official said on Wednesday. Civil defence deputy administrator Raffy Alejandro said in a briefing that the number remains "fluid" as more reports come in from responders.
The tremor caused widespread damage, including partially collapsed buildings such as Sts. Peter and Paul Church on Bantayan Island and a fast-food outlet in Bogo, Cebu. Schools in Lapu-Lapu, Mandaue, Talisay, Minglanilla, Consolacion, and Liloan were closed on Wednesday as a precaution.
An ammonia leak at a beverage plant in Mandaue was contained by firefighters, while authorities remain on standby for possible evacuations of people from the area.
The quake also triggered power outages and raised initial concerns over tsunami risk. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) briefly issued a tsunami warning and warned of strong currents and unusual waves, but the threat was later lifted.
Cebu City, home to nearly one million people, lies within the Pacific 'Ring of Fire,' an area prone to earthquakes and volcanic activity.
The Philippines experienced two major earthquakes in January this year with no casualties, while a 6.7-magnitude offshore quake in 2023 killed eight people.
Afghans living in Europe said on Tuesday they were nervous with no news from their families after internet and mobile phone services were cut by the T...
U.S. President Donald Trump, alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, unveiled a 20-point peace plan on 29 September, aiming to end the Ga...
Russia launched a rare drone attack on the Ukrainian city of Dnipro on 30 September, killing one person, injuring 20 others and damaging medical facil...
The U.S. government has shutdown on Wednesday as a vote to extend funding past a midnight deadline failed in the U.S. Senate and President Donald Trum...
The U.S. government is heading for a shutdown on Wednesday as congressional Democrats and Republicans hit an impasse over how to continue to fund the ...
Afghans living in Europe said on Tuesday they were nervous with no news from their families after internet and mobile phone services were cut by the Taliban in Afghanistan, according to diplomatic and industry sources.
U.S. President Donald Trump, alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, unveiled a 20-point peace plan on 29 September, aiming to end the Gaza conflict. The proposal addresses key geopolitical, humanitarian, and security issues, offering a pathway to peace.
Russia launched a rare drone attack on the Ukrainian city of Dnipro on 30 September, killing one person, injuring 20 others and damaging medical facilities, residential blocks and office buildings, officials said.
The U.S. government has shutdown on Wednesday as a vote to extend funding past a midnight deadline failed in the U.S. Senate and President Donald Trump threatened to extend his purge of the federal workforce.
AnewZ has learned that India has once again blocked Azerbaijan’s application for full membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, while Pakistan’s recent decision to consider diplomatic relations with Armenia has been coordinated with Baku as part of Azerbaijan’s peace agenda.
A day of mourning has been declared in Portugal to pay respect to victims who lost their lives in the Lisbon Funicular crash which happened on Wednesday evening.
Video from the USGS (United States Geological Survey) showed on Friday (19 September) the Kilauea volcano in Hawaii erupting and spewing lava.
At least eight people have died and more than 90 others were injured following a catastrophic gas tanker explosion on a major highway in Mexico City’s Iztapalapa district on Wednesday, authorities confirmed.
A powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck off Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula on 13 September with no tsunami threat, coming just weeks after the region endured a devastating 8.8-magnitude quake — the strongest since 1952.
Afghans living in Europe said on Tuesday they were nervous with no news from their families after internet and mobile phone services were cut by the Taliban in Afghanistan, according to diplomatic and industry sources.
U.S. President Donald Trump, alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, unveiled a 20-point peace plan on 29 September, aiming to end the Gaza conflict. The proposal addresses key geopolitical, humanitarian, and security issues, offering a pathway to peace.
Russia launched a rare drone attack on the Ukrainian city of Dnipro on 30 September, killing one person, injuring 20 others and damaging medical facilities, residential blocks and office buildings, officials said.
The U.S. government has shutdown on Wednesday as a vote to extend funding past a midnight deadline failed in the U.S. Senate and President Donald Trump threatened to extend his purge of the federal workforce.
The U.S. government is heading for a shutdown on Wednesday as congressional Democrats and Republicans hit an impasse over how to continue to fund the federal government.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment