Strong Earthquake Jolts Philippines’ Cebu

(MENAFN) A powerful offshore earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.7 struck Cebu province in the central Philippines Tuesday night, inflicting damage on a historic century-old church and forcing residents to evacuate their homes, Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) reported.

According to the institute, the quake hit at 9:59 p.m. local time at a shallow depth of 10 kilometers, centered roughly 17 kilometers northeast of Bogo City.

The seismic event was also felt across neighboring provinces, including Northern Samar, Bohol, and Sorsogon, as well as other parts of central Philippines. Despite the intensity, no casualties have been confirmed so far.

Phivolcs emphasized the likelihood of aftershocks following the tectonic disturbance and warned that significant damage remains a serious risk.

The top portion of the 1886-built church in Daanbantayan town, located north of the epicenter in Bogo City, completely collapsed due to the tremor. Social media users quickly shared images and videos highlighting the destruction caused by the strong shaking.

Phivolcs Director Teresito Bacolcol issued a cautionary advisory urging people to avoid beaches amid potential minor sea level changes.

“We received reports that the top of the old church has collapsed,” Bacolcol said, also noting that power outages have occurred in several areas after the quake.

Situated along the Pacific "Ring of Fire," the Philippines is highly prone to frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions due to its volatile geological setting.

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