Death toll from a powerful earthquake that rocked central Philippines on September 30 climbed to 72 on Thursday, rescuers said, while officials have begun relocating the affected people to safe shelters.
According to official sources, hundreds of people have been injured and thousands rendered homeless after a powerful 6.9 magnitude quake struck the country on Tuesday.
The Philippines government has said that 294 people were injured and around 20,000 were forced to flee their homes. The quake was so strong that 600 houses were wrecked across the north of the Cebu Island, leading to people rushing out and spending the night on the streets as hundreds of aftershocks shook the area.
Cebu provincial governor, Pamela Baricuatro, expressed solidarity with the victims, saying, “Many homes were destroyed and many families need help to recover... They need our help, prayers and support.”
Also Read: Powerful 6.9 magnitude earthquake kills 69 in Philippines
Meanwhile, country president, Ferdinand Marcos, flew to Cebu on Thursday with senior members of his cabinet to inspect the damage and coordinate relief efforts.
The updated stats suggest some 1,10,000 people in 42 communities to have been affected by the quake, who will need assistance to rebuild their homes and restore their livelihoods.
Further, search and rescue operations continued for the third day to trace those buried under rubble.
Cebu Fire and Emergency Department chief, Liewellyn Lee Quino, said, “The final check is important so that we can assure the community here that no one is forgotten inside these establishments and that they can choose to destroy this place completely (for redevelopment).”
The Philippines is among the nations that are situated on the Pacific “Ring of Fire”, an arc of intense seismic activity stretching from Japan through Southeast Asia and across the Pacific basin.
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