As a result of a powerful earthquake in Cebu province, Philippines, the death toll has risen to 72. Earlier, 69 deaths had been reported. In addition, 294 people were injured to varying degrees.
According to GMA News, citing the National Council for Disaster Risk Reduction and Management, more than 170,000 people were affected by the earthquake, with about 20,000 forced to leave their homes.
Local authorities reported that several buildings were destroyed due to the strong tremors.
For reference, on Tuesday at 21:59 local time, an earthquake with a magnitude of 6.9 was recorded. Later, more than 2,300 aftershocks with magnitudes ranging from 1 to 5 were registered. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology reported that the epicenter was about 20 km northeast of Bogo city, at a depth of 5 km.
A state of emergency was declared in Cebu province. The highest number of fatalities occurred in Bogo city, which has a population of 90,000, as well as in the municipalities of San Remigio and Medellin.
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