Cebu Earthquake Kills Dozens Injures Hundreds
Powerful Quake Rocks Cebu, Dozens Killed, Hospitals Overwhelmed
CEBU, Philippines — A shallow but powerful magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck late Tuesday night off the northern coast of Cebu, near the city of Bogo, sending shockwaves across the central Philippines and leaving devastation in its wake.
According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), the tremor jolted Bogo, a city of 90,000 residents, just before 10 p.m., triggering panic, widespread damage, and hundreds of aftershocks through the night.
At least 60 people have been confirmed dead, with officials warning the toll could rise further as rescue operations continue. The Bogo Provincial Hospital alone reported 53 fatalities and 154 injuries, forcing medical teams to treat patients outside under makeshift tents.
“I’m already struggling, but what we are doing is necessary to help our patients,” said rescuer Teddy Fontillas, 56, who has been working without sleep. Governor Pamela Baricuatro confirmed that the overflow of critical patients forced some transfers to other hospitals.
Families shared harrowing accounts of survival. Richard Guion, 39, with a bandaged arm, recalled how he and his wife were pulled from the rubble of their collapsed home by their teenage son. “When the cement collapsed, I called out to him,” he said, grateful his son had disobeyed his earlier instruction to go to bed.
Across Cebu province, images of destruction spread rapidly on social media. Dramatic footage showed the belfry of a centuries-old Catholic church on Bantayan Island crashing into its courtyard. In Cebu City, a shopping mall ceiling gave way as terrified diners hid under tables. “The mall started shaking. It was as if the Earth stopped spinning,” recalled 21-year-old Jayford Maranga, who survived with his friend.
Rescue efforts are ongoing, with authorities appealing for medical volunteers and warning that people may still be trapped under collapsed buildings. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology reported 379 aftershocks through the night.
Power outages hit Cebu and nearby islands but were restored by midnight, while village roads in several towns cracked open from the tremors.
The Philippines, located along the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” experiences frequent earthquakes. Most are minor, but powerful quakes like this strike without warning.
“This situation remains very fluid,” said Civil Defence official Rafaelito Alejandro, as emergency teams brace for the difficult days ahead.
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