Deadly 6.9-Magnitude Earthquake Rocks Central Philippines, At Least 69 Dead

A powerful 6.9-magnitude earthquake struck central Philippines late Tuesday night, killing at least 69 people and injuring over 140 others, officials confirmed. The tremor, which hit just before 10 p.m. local time, sent thousands of residents rushing into the streets in panic as buildings shook and homes collapsed.

The epicenter was recorded near Bogo City in northern Cebu province, at a shallow depth of just 5 kilometers, making the quake especially destructive.

The quake jolted people from their sleep, triggering widespread blackouts and communication outages. “We were terrified it felt like the ground would never stop moving,” said a resident of Medellin town, one of the worst-hit areas.

Hospitals across northern Cebu quickly filled with the injured, while rescue teams worked through the night to free people trapped under debris.

Among the destruction:

• A historic church in San Remigio collapsed, killing several people inside.

• A sports complex gave way during a basketball game, resulting in multiple fatalities.

• Roads cracked and bridges sustained damage, hampering rescue efforts.

• Landslides, combined with heavy rains, blocked access to remote villages.

Authorities also issued a brief tsunami advisory for coastal towns, though no significant waves were recorded.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. expressed condolences to victims’ families and deployed senior officials to Cebu to oversee the response. Troops, police, and volunteers with heavy machinery and sniffer dogs are carrying out search and rescue operations.

Some towns, including San Remigio, have declared a state of calamity to speed up aid and resource distribution. Emergency shelters have been opened, with food, water, and medical supplies being rushed into the area.

The Mactan-Cebu International Airport remains open and is being used as a hub for relief operations.

Officials reported more than 600 aftershocks since the main quake, some strong enough to be felt by residents. Engineers are now assessing the safety of schools, hospitals, and government buildings before allowing people back inside.

The Philippines, located along the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” is one of the world’s most disaster-prone countries, regularly experiencing earthquakes, typhoons, and volcanic eruptions.

Authorities warned the death toll could rise further as rescuers reach isolated communities cut off by damaged roads and landslides. Recovery and rebuilding are expected to take months, with many families now displaced and living in temporary shelters.