The death toll from a 6.9-magnitude earthquake that struck the central Philippines has risen to 69, a disaster agency official said, as the government mobilized agencies to search for survivors and restore power and water supplies, Reuters reported.
The quake, which struck the coast shortly before 10 p.m. local time on Sunday, was shallow.
The hospital in Bogo city in northern Cebu province, which is close to the quake's epicenter, is "overwhelmed", civil defense official Raffy Alejandro told reporters.
The death toll was announced by the regional disaster agency disasters in Cebu and are subject to confirmation, said Jane Abapo of the regional civil defense office. Another official said more than 150 people were injured.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. assured survivors that they would receive urgent assistance. He said cabinet ministers were on the scene directing rescue operations, and expressed his condolences to those who lost loved ones.
Cebu, one of the Philippines' most popular tourist destinations, has a population of about 3.4 million. Despite the damage, Mactan-Cebu International Airport, the country's second-busiest, remains operational. Another hard-hit town, San Remigio, has declared a state of emergency to aid response and rescue efforts.
Deputy Mayor Alfie Reynes appealed for food and water for evacuees, as well as heavy equipment to help rescue teams.
"It's raining heavily and there's no electricity, so we really need help, especially in the north because there's a water shortage after the water pipes were damaged by the earthquake," Reynes told the media.
A resident of the nearby town of Pilar, Arcel Coraza, said most of his family was asleep when their house started shaking violently. "I woke them up and we all ran out into the street," he told local media.
Coraza, who lives near the coast, said he saw the sea receding after the quake.
Local media posted videos of people fleeing their homes as the ground shook and buildings collapsed, including a church that is more than 100 years old. Reines said that among the dead were people who were playing basketball at a sports complex in San Remigio when it partially collapsed in the earthquake.
Seismological services determined the depth of the earthquake at about 10 km and registered numerous aftershocks, the strongest of which was a magnitude 6. No tsunami threat was declared after the earthquake.
The Philippines is located on the Pacific Ring of Fire, where volcanic activity and earthquakes are common. In January, the country was hit by two major earthquakes that did not cause any casualties.
In 2023, a magnitude 6.7 earthquake at sea killed eight people.