Toll rises to 67 in Philippines earthquake

The toll has climbed to 67 in the 7.2-magnitude earthquake that devastated central and southern Philippines, a state agency said Tuesday.

According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), 57 bodies were found in Bohol, nine in Cebu province, and one in Siquijor. Till now, 164 individuals were found injured, reports Xinhua.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology has recorded 289 aftershocks by 5.00 p.m. Tuesday.

Power cuts remain a problem in Bohol, Iloilo, Cadiz City and some areas of Caraga, the NDRRMC said.

The earthquake occurred at 8.12 a.m., the epicentre for which was located at a depth of 33 km about five to 10 km from Carmen in Bohol province.

A landslide also occurred in Boljoon, said Cebu Governor Hilario Davide III.

This earthquake was the biggest to have hit the Philippines in a few years and was felt as far away as Davao City in Mindanao, hundreds of kilometers down south.

Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology director Renato Solidum said the earthquake is considered shallow.

The Philippines has been frequently hit by earthquakes, owing to its location in the Pacific Ring of Fire, where continental plates collide which trigger earthquakes and volcanic activity.