6.9 Quake Near Cebu Kills Dozens, Overwhelms Hospitals

A shallow magnitude-6.9 earthquake struck off the northern tip of Cebu near Bogo late Tuesday, producing hundreds of aftershocks and widespread damage across the central Philippines. Casualty figures remain fluid: early government tallies listed 26–31 dead and about 147 injured, while local rescue and provincial authorities later reported as many as 60–69 fatalities and warned the toll could rise as searches continue. Hospitals in Bogo were overwhelmed, with staff treating patients in tents, moving serious cases to other facilities (including Cebu city), and mortuaries receiving dozens of bodies. Buildings collapsed — including the centuries-old Parish of Saint Peter the Apostle on Bantayan island — and roads were cracked or blocked by landslides; power and water supplies were also disrupted. Rescue operations have been hampered by continuing aftershocks and darkness; authorities briefly issued a tsunami warning that was later lifted and appealed for medical volunteers and essential supplies, while President Ferdinand Marcos Jr pledged rapid assistance and some localities declared a state of calamity to facilitate relief.