The death toll from the strong earthquake in Cebu has increased to 26, with most fatalities recorded in the tremor’s epicenter of Bogo City in Cebu province, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said in its situation report on Wednesday.
Of the 26 deaths, most were reported in Bogo City with 19, San Remigio town with five, while one death each was logged in the towns of Tabuelan and Medellin.
NDRRMC said these deaths have yet to be validated.
Additionally, 147 were reported hurt.
Most of the injured were also in Bogo with 119 victims, San Francisco with 14, and five each in the towns of Tabuelan and Catmon, and four at Daanbantayan town.
A magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck off Cebu on Tuesday night, state seismologists said.
It occurred at 9:59 p.m., with the epicenter located 21 kilometers northeast of Bogo City, with a shallow depth of five kilometers.