THE Office of Civil Defense (OCD) confirmed on Wednesday that the reported death toll from the magnitude 6.9 earthquake that struck Bogo City, Cebu, on Tuesday night has risen to 60.
“We are receiving additional reports of casualties, and the situation remains very fluid,” OCD officer-in-charge Assistant Secretary Bernardo Rafaelito Alejandro IV said during a press briefing.
He noted that initial updates indicate up to 60 individuals may have perished due to the powerful tremor.
According to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS), the earthquake struck at 9:59 p.m. with its epicenter located 17 kilometers northeast of Bogo City at coordinates 11.09°N, 124.13°E.
The quake, initially recorded as magnitude 6.7, was later upgraded to 6.9. It had a shallow depth of 5 kilometers and was tectonic in origin.
In response, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has directed concerned government agencies to immediately mobilize and deliver aid to affected communities.