The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) said Wednesday that the number of people killed in the powerful earthquake that struck Cebu may have climbed to 60, underscoring the scale of devastation left in its wake.
“As high as 60 individuals were reported to have perished in this earthquake,” OCD Assistant Secretary Rafael Alejandro IV announced in a press briefing, noting that reports from the ground are still being validated.
The quake, measured at magnitude 6.9, jolted Central Visayas late Tuesday night. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) recorded the tremor at 9:59 p.m., with its epicenter located 21 kilometers northeast of Bogo City, Cebu, at a shallow depth of just five kilometers.
The shallow origin amplified the destructive shaking, which was felt strongly across northern Cebu and nearby provinces. Authorities reported widespread damage to homes, public buildings, and infrastructure, as well as power outages and communication disruptions. PHIVOLCS initially raised an orange tsunami warning for Cebu, Leyte, and Biliran but later lifted it after monitoring conditions along the coastlines.
Rescue teams have been deployed to affected areas, where landslides and collapsing structures have been reported. Officials also warned residents to brace for aftershocks, with more than 280 recorded within the first 24 hours following the main shock.
The quake registered an intensity VIII (severe) in towns such as Daanbantayan and Bogo, and was felt at intensity VI–VII (very strong) in Cebu City and neighboring islands.
Local governments have opened evacuation centers as thousands of families were forced out of their homes in the middle of the night, many clutching only what they could carry as they sought safety.
