At least five people have died following a powerful 6.9-magnitude earthquake in the Philippines, ABS-CBN, the country’s largest broadcaster, reported yesterday, citing the police.
The earthquake that struck off the coast of Cebu City yesterday led to power outages and damaged buildings in the region.
The US Geological Survey (USGS) pegged the depth of the quake at 10km and recorded multiple aftershocks in the region following the earthquake, with the strongest aftershock a magnitude of 6.
Another monitoring agency said there was no tsunami threat following the quake.
Cebu City, located in the Philippines’ central Visayas region, has a population of nearly one million, according to the USGS.
Earlier, Ian Po, police chief of Villaba in the central province of Leyte, said the quake lasted for around 10 seconds. The police station building was visibly shaking from the tremor, he said.
Police Colonel Enrico Figueroa, chief of the Cebu City police, said some pole-mounted transformers exploded during the earthquake.
The earthquake had damaged buildings and roads and knocked out power in parts of the region, with rescuers searching for possible casualties.
Philippine seismology agency Phivolcs had warned of aftershocks and damage from the offshore tremor. It also warned that ‘strong currents and rapid changes of seawater level are expected’.
“The concerned public is advised to be on alert for unusual waves,” it said in an advisory.
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