6.9 Earthquake Strikes Philippines; Dozens Dead and Hundreds Injured

Earthquake shakes Cebu island

31 dead and 147 injured

Aftershocks hinder rescue efforts

A powerful 6.9-magnitude earthquake struck central Philippines, killing dozens and leaving more than a hundred people injured.

The U.S. Geological Survey reported that the quake occurred Tuesday at 9:59 p.m., with an epicenter off the northern coast of Cebu island, near the city of Bogo.

Authorities in the Philippines later raised the death toll to at least 60.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council reported 147 injured and at least 22 buildings with significant damage.

Initial Impact of the Earthquake in the Philippines

#Earthquake Tragedy in #Philippines: the powerful 6.9-magnitude quake of September 30 has already left 26 dead and at least 147 injured.

Authorities continue rescue operations and damage assessments in the hardest-hit areas. pic.twitter.com/dI2HyP5sIL

— La Cebadina Noticias (@LaCebadinaNoti) October 1, 2025

Images shared on social media showed the partial collapse of an old Catholic church on Bantayan island, where the bell tower came down after the tremor.

“Fortunately no one was injured,” a local resident told EFE, describing scenes of panic among the population.

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Local television showed motorcyclists abandoning their vehicles to cling to railings as a bridge in Cebu swayed violently.

In Cebu City, about 100 kilometers from the epicenter, a young shopkeeper said he took cover under a restaurant table when the metal roof of a shopping center collapsed.

Damage to Churches and Bridges

ILO-ILO CITY (Philippines), 30/09/2025.- An injured woman is carried into an ambulance after an earthquake in Ilo-Ilo city, Philippines, 30 September 2025. A magnitude 6.9 earthquake jolted Central Philippines according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs). (Terremoto/sismo, Filipinas) EFE/EPA/ARNOLD ALMACEN

The provincial government urgently requested volunteer doctors to help with the emergency and warned that people could be trapped under rubble in Bogo and San Remigio.

Rescue teams faced great difficulties due to nighttime darkness and constant aftershocks: the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology recorded 379 tremors within hours.

Several roads were damaged, and power outages hit parts of Cebu and the central islands, though some services were restored overnight.

Local authorities confirmed the collapse of a commercial building and a school in Bantayan, while a restaurant in Bogo was seriously damaged.

Testimonies and Scenes of Panic

Firefighters and volunteers described moments of fear during the Cebu quake but insisted they remain committed to rescue operations despite the risk of further aftershocks.

The Philippines lies in the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” a zone of intense seismic activity where earthquakes are frequent — and sometimes devastating.