6.9 magnitude earthquake strikes the Philippines
Earthquake kills at least 69 in Philippines
The quake was recorded at 9:59 p.m. local time on Tuesday with the centre at 19 km east-northeast of Bogo City, Philippines, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said.
LOS ANGELES - A strong earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.9 struck the central Philippines on Tuesday, causing people to flee into the streets and damaging a stone church.
The quake prompted a tsunami warning for coastal areas.
What we know:
The earthquake was centered about 10 miles northeast of Bogo city in Cebu province.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology issued a tsunami warning for the coastlines of Cebu, Leyte, and Biliran provinces, advising people to stay away from the shore due to possible waves up to 3 feet high.
The director of the institute, Teresito Bacolcol, stated that damage and aftershocks were expected.
Power was knocked out in the town of Daanbantayan, where a stone church was damaged.
The extent of the damage is currently unknown.
The earthquake comes as central Philippine provinces are still recovering from a recent storm that left at least 27 people dead and caused widespread power outages and evacuations.
The backstory:
The Philippines is located on the Pacific "Ring of Fire," a region prone to frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions due to its arc of seismic faults.
The country is also hit by an average of 20 typhoons and storms each year, making it one of the world's most disaster-prone countries.
The Source: This information comes from a preliminary report of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, which provided the initial magnitude and tsunami warning. Further details and direct quotes were obtained from an interview with the institute’s director, Teresito Bacolcol, who spoke with The Associated Press.