6.6 Quake Hits Philippines, 6 dead, Hundreds Injured, Multiple Aftershocks

Strong quake jolts southern Philippines, 6 dead, scores hurt

 Associated Press

A powerful earthquake shook the southern Philippines on Tuesday, triggering landslides and loosening boulders that killed six people and injured more than 100 others in a region already damaged by a strong quake two weeks earlier, officials said.

The magnitude 6.6 earthquake was caused by the movement of a fault about 7 kilometers (4.3 miles) deep about 25 kilometers (16 miles) east of Tulunan in Cotabato province, the Philippine Institute of Seismology and Volcanology said.

Tulunan Mayor Reuel Limbungan said about 90% of the houses in three rural villages were damaged by the intense ground movement.

Among the dead were a father and his child who were hit by boulders which rolled down a mountain onto their small farm in hard-hit North Cotabato province. Another child was injured, provincial disaster response officer Mercedita Foronda said. She said more than 100 villagers received injuries, mostly minor, in the province.

Two others died in a landslide and falling debris in Magsaysay town in Davao del Sur province. A pregnant woman was killed by a falling tree in Tulunan and a 66-year-old man died from head injuries after apparently being hit by heavy debris in South Cotabato province's capital, Koronadal, where 30 other people were injured as they dashed out of their homes, offices and shopping malls, police and other officials said.

Several cities and towns suspended classes to allow inspections of school buildings. Several buildings damaged in another quake earlier this month sustained further damage and were closed to the public.

6.6 quake, multiple aftershocks wreak havoc & cause panic in Mindanao, Philippines (PHOTOS, VIDEOS)

The Philippines was hit by a powerful 6.6 magnitude earthquake, rocking the country’s second biggest island of Mindanao and forcing residents to flee large buildings while inspectors assess the damage.

The tremors were felt near the city of Davao early on Tuesday morning, registering 6.6 on the Richter scale, according to the US Geological Survey. No casualties have yet been reported, but a number of buildings, including some schools, were temporarily closed to the public.

WATCH | Several CCTV footages show the moment the magnitude 6.4 #earthquake shakes the Department of Agriculture regional office in Davao City on Tuesday morning. | via @Chepalicte1 / Video courtesy of Ronell Tangonan of DA-11 pic.twitter.com/tIUXrAxdeA

— Phil News Agency (@pnagovph) October 29, 2019

Several residents of Mindanao, as well as CCTV cameras, captured the frightening quake on video.

🙏🙏🙏 keep safe and praying for God’s protection to all out there in mindanao na nakaramdam ng lindol https://t.co/9W6cRTnuMW

— Belle Hanzberj (@LyanneBelleBlu) October 29, 2019

In a statement issued after the earthquake, the government said it was “closely monitoring the situation in Mindanao,” asking citizens to “remain calm but vigilant,” but “to refrain from spreading disinformation that may cause undue alarm, panic and stress to many people.”