Nearly 70 dead as earthquake shakes central Philippines

Emergency responders on Wednesday searched for survivors after a 6.9-magnitude earthquake late Tuesday night rocked the northern part of the province of Cebu. The shallow quake struck off the coast of an island in the middle of the archipelago, near the city of Bogo. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology recorded aftershocks through Wednesday. At least 69 people died and another 186 were injured, according to the Philippine government. The quake also destroyed roads, homes, businesses, and bridges, and it sparked power outages throughout the region. Local recovery teams began distributing aid in the affected areas immediately, and U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Carlson offered to support the government’s response.

What else is happening in the Philippines? A tropical storm lashed Cebu and nearby provinces last week, killing more than two dozen people. Meanwhile, the northern part of the Philippines on Wednesday was bracing for a tropical depression expected to make landfall later this week. Researchers also closely monitored volcanoes across the country for signs of activity following the earthquake.

Dig deeper: Read Christina Grube’s report about a major earthquake in Afghanistan last month.