27 killed after powerful quake hits central Philippines

At least 27 people have been killed from a powerful 6.9-magnitude earthquake in the central Philippine, as the government mobilised agencies to search for survivors and restore power and water supplies.

In Bogo city in the north of Cebu province, which was near the epicentre of the shallow quake that struck off the coast just before 10 pm on Tuesday, the hospital has been "overwhelmed," Civil Defence official Raffy Alejandro told reporters.

The death toll of 27was based on data from the Cebu provincial disaster office and was subject to validation, said Jane Abapo, an information officer at the regional Civil Defence office. 

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr assured survivors of swift assistance, saying cabinet secretaries were on the ground directing relief operations, as he expressed his condolences to those who lost loved ones.

Cebu, one of the Philippines' most popular tourist destinations, is home to 3.4 million people. Despite the damage, Mactan-Cebu International Airport, the country's second busiest gateway, remained operational.

Another hard-hit town, San Remigio was placed under a state of calamity to help the response and relief efforts. Vice Mayor Alfie Reynes appealled for food and water for evacuees, as well as heavy equipment to aid search and rescue workers.

Local media posted videos of people rushing out of their homes as the ground shook and buildings collapsed, including a church that was more than 100 years old. Reynes said among the deceased were some people who had been playing basketball in a sports complex in San Remigio when it partially collapsed due to the quake.

Earthquake monitoring agencies put the quake's depth at around 10 km and recorded multiple aftershocks, the strongest having a magnitude of 6. There was no tsunami threat following the quake.

The Philippines lies in the Pacific "Ring of Fire," where volcanic activity and earthquakes are common. The country had two major earthquakes in January, with no casualties reported. In 2023, a 6.7 magnitude offshore earthquake killed eight people.