At least five people have died after a 7.4-magnitude earthquake reported in the Philippines on Friday (October 10), according to the United States Geological Survey.
The earthquake, which was reported to be centered about 14 miles east-southeast of Santiago, reportedly set off landslides and resulted in hospitals and schools being damaged, with evacuations being launched following tsunami warnings for coastal areas, the Associated Press reports. A 6.7-magnitude earthquake was also reported to be about 14 miles east-southeast of Santiago, however, it wasn’t immediately clear if it was a separate earthquake or one of the numerous aftershocks reported in the region.
Two of the five casualties were reported to have died of heart attacks at while hospitalized during the initial 7.4-magnitude earthquake, Ednar Dayanghirang, regional director of the government’s Office of Civil Defense, confirmed in a phone interview with the Associated Press. One resident was reportedly hit by debris in the City of Mati.
The earthquakes are the latest natural disasters to hit the Philippines following back-to-back storms. The Philippines are among the countries most prone to earthquakes as it’s located on the ‘Ring of Fire’ region where earthquakes commonly occur in the Pacific.
The Santiago earthquake was reported hours after 5.5-magnitude earthquake was reported in China on Thursday (October 9), according to the United States Geological Survey. The earthquake was centered in Xinlong, about 130 miles north of Daocheng, at a depth of 10 kilometers (about 6.2 miles)
Recent Comments