At least 13 people were killed and dozens of others were missing in a strong earthquake that jolted central Philippine islands on Monday, reports said. Most of the deaths were reported in the heavily populated central province of Negros Oriental, Governor Noel Degamo said.
Dozens of people are trapped under houses collapsed in a landslide triggered by the quake in the village of Planas. The casualties include at least two girl children.
Reports quoting Benito Ramos, head of the Office of Civil Defense, said a 9-year-old girl was crushed to death after a concrete fence inside her school in Tayasan town collapsed, while an 11-year-old girl was killed when the wall of a chapel collapsed in Jimalalud town. Rescue workers estimate that about 100 people were injured.
A magnitude 6.7 earthquake struck off Negros Oriental at 11:49:16 am local time, prompting authorities to issue a local tsunami alert. The warning was lifted more than 3 hours later. It was followed by a series of aftershocks, including two with a magnitude of 6.0 that occurred at the epicenter several hours later, which is preventing people from returning to their homes.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said the quake centered just 5 kilometers off the shore of Tayasan, and that preliminary magnitude of the quake was 6.9 and felt at the strongest intensity of 7 in Dumaguete City.
But the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) said it measured the quake's magnitude as 6.8 at a depth of 20 kilometers. The tremors were felt in at least seven central provinces, including Negros Occidental, Iloilo, Cebu and Bacolod.
The Office of Civil Defense said a three-storey building fell down in La Libertad town, and five cottages in a nearby beach resort were swept away by advancing sea waves following the quake.
Traffic was disrupted on three key bridges in the town, which suffered cracks. Search and rescue operations are currently ongoing in areas where houses and buildings had collapsed due to landslides.
The Hawaii-based Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said there was no danger of a widespread destructive tsunami, but Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology raised tsunami warning at level 2, which does not call for evacuation.
Ramos said the chances of a tsunami or a tidal wave were very slim because the quake's epicenter was located on a narrow strait between two islands, but Government seismologist Ishmael Narag said "Residents should be on alert for unusual waves and should stay away from the shoreline."
Government offices and school classes were suspended in Iloilo province, where people rushed out of buildings during the quake, according to local officials.
The Philippines sits on the Pacific "Ring of Fire" - a belt around the Pacific Ocean where friction between shifting tectonic plates trigger frequent earthquakes and volcanic activity.
For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com
Business News
June 05, 2026 16:18 ET A busy week for economic news flow saw a slew of reports being released that reflected the trends in the U.S. labor market. In Europe, economic growth and inflation data gained attention as the European Central Bank and Bank of England head for policy session later in the month. In Asia, the monetary policy session of the Indian central bank was in focus as the country, a major oil importer, reels under the pressures of a weaker rupee and rising inflation.