5 Dead After 6.9-Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Cebu In Philippines

Five people have died after a 6.9-magnitude earthquake struck Cebu in the Philippines on Tuesday (September 30) at 9.59pm (5.59pm UAE time), according to a report by AFP citing local police.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Philvolcs) initially reported the tremor as magnitude 6.7. It had a depth of 10 kilometers and sent shockwaves beyond Cebu. Residents in Iloilo City on Panay Island, located north of Cebu, also reported feeling the quake.

One Iloilo City resident, Amelia R., said she rushed outside when the ground began to shake.“It lasted so long, so I grabbed our dog and went outside,” the 61-year-old said, adding that several of her neighbours also rushed outdoors in alarm.

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Another resident from Jaro, Iloilo City, Rita M. shared that she was just getting ready to sleep when the earthquake happened. "I quickly grabbed my phone and immediately went out of the house."

Meanwhile, the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ) reported that the quake's epicenter was in Leyte.

Below are the reported intensities so far:

• Intensity III – San Fernando, Cebu

• Intensity II – Laoang, Northern Samar

Philvolcs also has issued a“tsunami warning” for three provinces in the Visayas.

In its advisory, the authority urged the public to be on alert for unusual waves, noting that people should“stay away from the beach and not go to the coast” of the following provinces until the advisory is lifted:

• Leyte

• Cebu

• Biliran

The agency added that aftershocks are expected and property damage may occur.

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