Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday expressed condolences following a powerful 6.9-magnitude earthquake that struck the Philippines. He reaffirmed India’s solidarity with the people of the Philippines and offered prayers for the bereaved families.
In a post on X, PM Modi said, “Deeply saddened to learn about the loss of lives and the widespread damage caused by the earthquake in the Philippines. My thoughts and prayers are with the bereaved families, and I wish the injured a speedy recovery. India stands in solidarity with the Philippines during this difficult time.”
The death toll from a 6.9-magnitude earthquake that hit the central Philippines rose to 69 on Wednesday, a disaster official said, as authorities mounted a rescue effort to find survivors after one of the country’s strongest quakes in a decade.
The shallow quake struck late on Tuesday off the coast of the island of Cebu, cutting power and damaging buildings. It was not immediately clear how many people were missing.
The death toll was 69 as of Wednesday late morning said Jane Abapo of the regional Civil Defense office, citing data from the provincial disaster agency that was subject to validation.
The hospital in Bogo City near the epicentre of the quake was “overwhelmed”, Civil Defense official Raffy Alejandro told reporters.
The Philippine coast guard deployed a vessel carrying dozens of doctors, nurses and other medical personnel bound for Bogo, while President Ferdinand Marcos Jr assured survivors of swift assistance, with cabinet secretaries on the ground directing relief operations.
“We are assessing the damage, we are assessing the needs,” Marcos told reporters after distributing aid in Masbate, an island recovering from the impact of Super typhoon Ragasa last week.
Earthquake monitoring agencies put the quake’s depth at around 10 km (6.2 miles) and recorded multiple aftershocks, the strongest having a magnitude of 6. There was no tsunami threat following the quake.
The Philippines lies in the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” where volcanic activity and earthquakes are common. The country had two major earthquakes in January, with no casualties reported.
In 2023, a 6.7 magnitude offshore earthquake killed eight people.
Local media posted videos of people rushing out of their homes as the ground shook and buildings collapsed, including a church that was more than 100 years old.
Cebu, one of the Philippines’ most popular tourist destinations, is home to 3.4 million people. It was not immediately clear the extent of the damage in other areas of the island.
The Mactan-Cebu International Airport, the country’s second busiest gateway, remained operational.
Philippine seismology agency Phivolcs said close to 800 aftershocks have been recorded and warned affected areas to expect more tremors in the coming days, although their strength is expected to gradually diminish.
(With Reuters inputs)