Deadly earthquake strikes the Philippines
The southern Philippine island of Mindanao is in rescue mode after being hit by a magnitude 6.8 earthquake on Sunday.
The powerful quake left a child dead and dozens more people injured, as well as damaging a number of buildings including hotels, according to Agence-France Presse (AFP).
The news agency reported that hospital patients were evacuated as a precaution, while crowds of nervous people gathered outside shopping centres following the quake, which also produced a number of aftershocks.
Check out some of the footage taken during and following the devastating quake below:
A 6.8-magnitude earthquake struck parts of the Philippines. Video footage posted on social media showed water sloshing out of a hotel swimming pool, fixtures shaking in a hotel room and people evacuating via a staircase https://t.co/68JyUN4OCe pic.twitter.com/7uBrrs7SpB
— Reuters (@Reuters) December 15, 2019
WATCH: Mallgoers and employees conduct evacuation procedures in SM CDO Downtown Premier as a powerful earthquake struck Cagayan de Oro City on Sunday afternoon, December 15.#MovePH @MovePH#QuakePH pic.twitter.com/iJh2cqvyje
— Dominic Joaquin Dublado (@DJDublado) December 15, 2019
WATCH | An explosion was heard at the Gaisano Mall in Bajada, Davao City after a 6.9-magnitude earthquake hit the city on Sunday afternoon. |via @Chepalicte1 , video courtesy of Kaye Lorenzo pic.twitter.com/xIto6DFSKo
— Philippine News Agency (@pnagovph) December 15, 2019
A powerful earthquake measuring 6.8-magnitude has struck the Philippines near the city of Davao, with one child reported to have died and 14 people been injured as tremors sent locals fleeing in panic from damaged homes and shopping malls
Video was taken at GMALL DAVAO pic.twitter.com/7iSu6Y4r3X
— ASHKII VLOGS (@Ashkii69539721) December 15, 2019
RESCUED FROM THE RUBBLE: New video shows crews rescuing a woman from a three-story building in the Philippines that collapsed after 6.8-magnitude earthquake struck the region, killing at least one child and injuring several others. https://t.co/zCvWgIK6Ia pic.twitter.com/xHZeYiGi9E
— World News Tonight (@ABCWorldNews) December 15, 2019
Local police commander Alberto Lupaz revealed that 62 people had been injured in the worst-affected areas, and a child who was crushed under a collapsed structure was confirmed dead.
Lupaz told AFP that efforts to rescue people under a damaged market building in Padada – approximately 90 kilometres from Davao, one of the most populous cities in the Philippines – had been delayed, while officials said that President Rodrigo Duterte was unharmed despite being caught up in the quake.
According to the Global Disaster Alert and Coordination System, roughly 7.8 million people were exposed to the big earthquake, but there was no threat of a tsunami occurring.
The earthquake is the fourth one above 6.0 magnitude that has struck Mindanao since October, with more than 40 people reported dead or missing and nearly 800 injured as a result of the first three.
Featured image credit: Vincent James Abao/@vincentyoonmin
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