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| Philippines earthquake death toll rises to at least 69 as Cebu hospitals struggle | Philippines earthquake death toll rises to at least 69 as Cebu hospitals struggle |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| More than 700 aftershocks recorded while rescuers search for casualties in coastal city of Bogo | |
| Rescuers in the Philippines combed through rubble and mud after the deadliest earthquake in more than a decade killed at least 69 people, with patients overwhelming hospitals on the island of Cebu. | |
| Outside the Cebu provincial hospital, injured children cried and adults screamed on Wednesday as they were treated on beds beneath blue tents. They had been wheeled outside as a precaution against waves of aftershocks. | |
| The shallow, magnitude-6.9 quake struck late on Tuesday in the north of Cebu, near Bogo, a city of 90,000 people, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs). | The shallow, magnitude-6.9 quake struck late on Tuesday in the north of Cebu, near Bogo, a city of 90,000 people, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs). |
| The agency said that by Wednesday evening, more than 700 aftershocks had been recorded, although it added most were minor. | The agency said that by Wednesday evening, more than 700 aftershocks had been recorded, although it added most were minor. |
| “We can expect aftershocks in the epicentral area,” Phivolcs said. “These aftershocks could persist for several days to weeks, and some may be felt in nearby provinces.” | “We can expect aftershocks in the epicentral area,” Phivolcs said. “These aftershocks could persist for several days to weeks, and some may be felt in nearby provinces.” |
| At the Cebu provincial hospital, workers loaded black body bags into vans that took the dead to local mortuaries. | At the Cebu provincial hospital, workers loaded black body bags into vans that took the dead to local mortuaries. |
| “Many of them were pinned down by debris, which caused their death,” the Office of Civil Defense deputy administrator, Rafaelito Alejandro, said on local television, putting the updated death toll at 69. | |
| Richard Guion, 39, his left elbow heavily bandaged, told how he and his wife, who broke her foot, were dug from under the collapsed concrete wall of their home by their 17-year-old son, who was playing outside when the quake struck. “When the cement collapsed, I called out to him,” said Guion, thankful his son ignored his order to go to bed early. | Richard Guion, 39, his left elbow heavily bandaged, told how he and his wife, who broke her foot, were dug from under the collapsed concrete wall of their home by their 17-year-old son, who was playing outside when the quake struck. “When the cement collapsed, I called out to him,” said Guion, thankful his son ignored his order to go to bed early. |
| Thirty people were killed in Bogo, Alejandro said. In other municipalities near the quake’s centre, 22 were killed in San Remigio, 10 in Medellin, five in Tabogon and one each in Sogod and Tabuelan, he said. The Bogo hospital put the number of injured at 186 so far. | Thirty people were killed in Bogo, Alejandro said. In other municipalities near the quake’s centre, 22 were killed in San Remigio, 10 in Medellin, five in Tabogon and one each in Sogod and Tabuelan, he said. The Bogo hospital put the number of injured at 186 so far. |
| In Bogo, firefighters used excavators to drill holes into the collapsed heap of a two-storey motel, where two receptionists and a child were feared trapped beneath debris. | |
| A distraught Isagani Jilig, whose wife and child were among the missing, joined about 100 people watching the rescue. “I will never leave this site until I find them again. As a father, I have to be strong now more than ever,” said Jilig, 41. | A distraught Isagani Jilig, whose wife and child were among the missing, joined about 100 people watching the rescue. “I will never leave this site until I find them again. As a father, I have to be strong now more than ever,” said Jilig, 41. |
| A firefighter, Erwin Castaneda, said they had been searching for five hours but “we cannot give up”. “We are talking about lives here. We will do everything that we can,” he said. | A firefighter, Erwin Castaneda, said they had been searching for five hours but “we cannot give up”. “We are talking about lives here. We will do everything that we can,” he said. |
| Civil defence teams were also searching for signs of life beneath a landslide that had killed at least 14 people in the city. “As much as I would want to say there’s no more fatalities, the toll could still go up,” Cebu provincial information officer Ainjeliz Orong said of the landslide. | |
| Heavy rains and power cuts have hampered rescue efforts. The Cebu provincial government has put out a call on its official Facebook page for medical volunteers to assist. | |
| The president, Ferdinand Marcos, pledged swift aid for victims. “I offer my heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families,” he said. | The president, Ferdinand Marcos, pledged swift aid for victims. “I offer my heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families,” he said. |
| Dramatic footage filmed by residents during the quake on Bantayan Island, near the island of Cebu, showed a string of lightbulbs on an old Catholic church swaying wildly before the church’s belfry tumbled into the courtyard. Local television showed riders dismounting from their motorcycles and holding on to railings as a Cebu bridge rocked violently. | |
| Local media reported that authorities had imposed price fixing on basic goods and fuel, to keep essential products available to people affected by the quake. | Local media reported that authorities had imposed price fixing on basic goods and fuel, to keep essential products available to people affected by the quake. |
| Earthquakes are a near-daily occurrence in the Philippines, which is situated on the Pacific “ring of fire”, an arc of intense seismic activity stretching from Japan through south-east Asia and across the Pacific basin. Cebu is a seismically active area. | Earthquakes are a near-daily occurrence in the Philippines, which is situated on the Pacific “ring of fire”, an arc of intense seismic activity stretching from Japan through south-east Asia and across the Pacific basin. Cebu is a seismically active area. |
| Most are too weak to be felt by humans but strong and destructive quakes come at random, with no technology available to predict when and where they might strike. | Most are too weak to be felt by humans but strong and destructive quakes come at random, with no technology available to predict when and where they might strike. |
| Agence France-Presse and Reuters contributed to this report | |
| Agence France-Presse and Reuters contributed to this report |