The confirmed death toll in Cebu has risen to 19 following the magnitude 6.9 earthquake that struck late Tuesday night.
According to the Cebu Provincial Information Office, nine adults and four minors died in Bogo City. Based on an initial report from the Capitol, most of the victims were crushed when their homes collapsed. Bogo City was the epicenter of the quake.
In San Remigio, five deaths were confirmed, including a 10-year-old child.
Raymond Frasco of the San Remigio Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office said three of the fatalities were personnel from the Philippine Coast Guard, while one was a member of the Bureau of Fire Protection.
They were reportedly trapped and crushed by concrete inside a gym where a basketball league between the two agencies was being held during the earthquake.
The local government has placed the entire San Remigio under a state of calamity due to damages caused by the quake.
Meanwhile, through his official Facebook account, Mayor Rex Gerona confirmed that a senior citizen in Tabuelan also died during the strong earthquake.
Cebu Governor Pamela Baricuatro said the Office of the President has reached out to ensure aid from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s office will be extended.
After an emergency meeting at the Capitol, the governor will proceed to Danao City, where an Emergency Operations Center will be established to respond to the quake’s impact in northern Cebu.
Dump trucks and boom trucks from her office will also be deployed to assist with clearing and rescue efforts./mcm