A terrible 6.9 magnitude earthquake hit the central Philippines late Tuesday, killing at least 31 people and injuring many more across the region. Officials are worried that the number of deaths will grow a lot when search and rescue teams claw their way through the rubble and get to places that are cut off.
The epicenter of the tremor was around 19 kilometers northeast of Bogo City in Cebu province. Bogo City is a seaside city with a population of about 90,000. Pamela Baricuatro, the governor of Cebu, said she was very worried about how bad the damage was. She said, “It could be worse than we think,” and added that the entire amount of the devastation would only be revealed in the morning.
A lot of people died and a lot of damage was done.
The earthquake killed a lot of people and damaged a lot of buildings right away all throughout northern Cebu:
Bogo City: At least 14 people have perished in Bogo City alone, and the number of dead is expected to rise as rescue attempts continue. People may see the bodies of the victims laying outside the Cebu Provincial Hospital in Bogo City.
Medellin Town: Twelve individuals died as the ceilings and walls of their homes fell on them. Some of the victims were sleeping when they were hit.
Five individuals, including a kid, died in a terrible accident in San Remigio Town when walls fell on them as they ran away from a basketball game to find safety.
The shaking was so strong that it caused major fissures to form in asphalt and concrete roads. In the impacted area, power and water supplies have been seriously disrupted.
Rescue Efforts Stopped, Old Church Falls Apart
A huge landslide and rocks obstructing the roads are making it very hard for rescue crews to get to a mountain town near Bogo right now. “It’s hard to move in the area because there are hazards,” said Glenn Ursal, a disaster-mitigation officer. Officials are working to clear the way and move heavy equipment to speed up the search.
The centuries-old Parish of Saint Peter the Apostle in Bantayan fell apart because of the intense tremors. This is a sad loss for cultural heritage. Videos shared on social media showed ornamental lights falling off as the church shook. Then, a part of the historic building fell down, and people screamed in fear.
Warning about tsunamis and areas that are vulnerable
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology sent out a tsunami warning right after the earthquake offshore. They told those living on the coasts of Cebu, Leyte, and Biliran to move away from the shorelines since there may be a “minor sea level disturbance.” The good news is that the alert was later lifted.
This most recent calamity shows how very vulnerable the Philippines is to natural disasters. The archipelago is located right on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” an arc of seismic faults that is known for having earthquakes and volcanic eruptions almost every day. The present issue comes right after a tropical cyclone hit Cebu just a few days ago on Friday, killing 27 people and cutting off power to others.