At least 26 people were killed when a powerful 6.9-magnitude earthquake struck the central Philippines late Tuesday night. The tremor was felt just before 10 p.m. local time off the coast of Cebu City.
The city of Bogo suffered the heaviest losses, with 19 fatalities reported. The quake knocked out electricity and damaged numerous buildings across the region.
Authorities initially issued a tsunami warning but later lifted it. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said sea levels showed minor changes but did not reach dangerous levels.
Cebu, located in the Visayas region and home to about one million people, was placed under a state of emergency. Local officials ordered schools closed throughout the province as part of the response.
Emergency measures were also declared in several other towns and municipalities. Disaster management officials said rescue and relief operations have been intensified, with agencies prepared to assist survivors and affected families.
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