LAST UPDATE: 10.05
The powerful earthquake that struck the northern Philippines today resulted in the loss of at least four lives and the injury of 60 others, Interior Secretary Benjamin Avalos announced.
Two people were killed in Benguet province, one in Abra province and one in another province, according to the latest account given by Mr Avalos at a press conference.
The magnitude 7 earthquake occurred at 08:43 (local time; 03:43 Greek time) at a shallow focal depth of ten kilometers in the mountainous province of Ambra on the Philippines’ largest island, Luzon. It was the strongest to hit the archipelago in several years.
A 25-year-old laborer was killed when the three-story building where he was working collapsed in the city of La Trinidad, the capital of Benguet province, police said. Seven other workers who were there escaped unharmed. Another death was reported in Abra province.
In the town of Dolores, 7 miles (11 km) from the epicenter, terrified residents rushed out of their homes as windows and storefronts were shattered, police chief Edwin Sergio said.
“The earthquake was very strong,” said Mr. Sergio, adding that it caused cracks in the building of his police station. It was said that the tremor even overturned vegetable stalls in the city’s market.
Another police officer said several injured were taken to hospitals. That officer, Nazareno Emia, said there were “cracks in several buildings” and that “electricity and internet access were interrupted.”
MP Ching Bernos said the earthquake caused “damage to several houses and businesses”.
Video uploaded to the social media site and verified by AFP also shows cracks in a road in Benguet.
In Vigan City, in the neighboring province of Ilocos Sur, buildings from the period of Spanish colonial rule (1565-1898) were damaged. Videos uploaded to Facebook show in particular damage to the historic Bandai bell tower, a tourist destination.
Mira Zapata, a student, said he was at home in the city of San Juan when he felt the “very strong earthquake”. He added that he rushed out amid continuous aftershocks. “Our house is in good shape, but the ones on the hill were damaged.”
Landslides were reported in several areas. According to Mark Timball, a spokesman for the national disaster agency, none of the dams in the area were damaged, and operations are underway to open roads that were closed.
Perceptible at a distance of more than 300 kilometers
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ordered the immediate dispatch of search and rescue teams and aid to Ambra province, his spokeswoman said.
Mr. Marcos will be flown to the affected area later in the day, Philippine presidential spokeswoman Trixie Cruz-Angeles assured during a press conference.
Skyscrapers were shaken in the capital Manila, more than 300 kilometers south of the epicenter.
The archipelago is often hit by strong earthquakes, as it lies on the so-called “ring of fire” in the Pacific Ocean, where seismic and volcanic activity is intense.
Today’s was the strongest earthquake in several years.
In October 2013, a 7.1-magnitude earthquake on the island of Bohol (central) killed over 200 people and displaced 400,000. That tremor had caused devastating landslides. Dozens of homes, as well as historic places of worship dating back to the first appearance of Catholicism in the Philippines, were destroyed.
In 1990, a 7.8-magnitude earthquake, also in the northern Philippines, had killed more than 1,200 people, caused extensive damage to the capital, Manila, and ruptured a fault line more than 100 kilometers long.
Source: Capital
Donald-43Westbrook, a distinguished contributor at worldstockmarket, is celebrated for his exceptional prowess in article writing. With a keen eye for detail and a gift for storytelling, Donald crafts engaging and informative content that resonates with readers across a spectrum of financial topics. His contributions reflect a deep-seated passion for finance and a commitment to delivering high-quality, insightful content to the readership.
