A strong earthquake has hit the Philippines today killing at least 13 people and leaving at least 100 more missing amidst widespread damage. The magnitude 6.7 quake was followed by two aftershocks, a magnitude 4.8 and then a magnitude 5.6 quake, both less than an hour later and landslides have been triggered burying houses.

The first and most powerful earthquake, magnitude 6.7, struck on Monday February 6 at 11:49 am, that’s Monday 03:49 am UTC, Sunday 10:49 pm EST or Sunday 7:49 pm PST, according to the USGS. The depth of the quake was 12.4 miles (20 km). The epicenter of the earthquake was 44 miles (72 km) north of Dumaguete, Negros, Philippines, 45 miles (74 km) west-northwest of Tagbilaran, Bohol, 49 miles (80 km) west-southwest of Cebu, Cebu, or 353 miles (569 km) south-southeast of the capital Manila.

Hundreds of responses across 94 cities have been reported to the ‘Did You Feel It’ section of the USGS website. The following 4.8 magnitude aftershock hit at 4:03 am local time, with the magnitude 5.6 quake occurring at 4:20 am local time, also both in the Negros, Cebu region. A local tsunami alert was issued for the central islands and at a resort in La Libertad some cottages were washed away to sea but there were no reported injuries.

The first earthquake resulted in a large landslide in Guihulngan and the Mayor, Ernesto Reyes said that at least 100 people were missing after around 30 houses were buried, according to The Washington Post. Of the 10 people who have been reported killed so far in the town, some died in a local market, some at an elementary school and others were students at college. Another landslide occurred in Solongon in La Libertad town where police chief inspector Eric Arrol Besario reported that unknown amounts of people were trapped. Two people also died in Tayasan and one of those was a child, killed when a concrete fence collapsed according to the head of the Office of Civil Defense, Benito Ramos. In Jimalalud town another child died whilst at a funeral, when a church wall collapsed.

Only two days ago we reported on a magnitude 5.6 earthquake in the Philippines, off the coast of the Samar region. Sadly, with so many collapsed buildings and people reported missing it seems likely that the current death toll from today’s earthquake could rise. If you have experienced today’s earthquakes in the Philippines and wish to share what happened with us then please leave your comments below.

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