The very strong earthquake hit the province of Abra yesterday morning, killing at least five people and injuring more than 150 others
Hundreds of aftershocks of it of yesterday’s 7-magnitude main earthquake shook the northern Philippines all night, causing residents to riot to sleep outsideseveral of them said today, while President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. began a tour of the affected area to ascertain the situation.
The very strong earthquake shook Abra province yesterday morning, killing at least five people and injuring more than 150 others, according to the latest official death toll released by the authorities.
A 7.0 magnitude earthquake hit Luzon, the Philippines’ most populous island, on Wednesday morning, killing at least four people, causing dozens of landslides and severely damaging buildings, officials said. https://t.co/jx2WJDRJkQ pic.twitter.com/JI6VNbwhaQ
— The New York Times (@nytimes) July 27, 2022
It destroyed buildings and triggered landslides, shaking properties as far away as the capital Manila, 300 kilometers from the epicenter.
“There have been aftershocks every 15 to 20 minutes since yesterday,” said Reggie Tolentino, a restaurateur in Benguet. “Many of us slept outside last night, almost all families,” he added.
President Marcos arrived in the province earlier to inspect the damage, according to his services, which broadcast live on Facebook his meetings with local officials.
Magnitude 7.1 earthquake strikes central Luzon, Philippines#EarthquakePH #earthquake #philippines
An earthquake of magnitude 7.1 occurred near Dolores in the Philippines on Wednesday, the US Geological Survey said, and was strongly felt by residents in the capital, Manila. pic.twitter.com/3JgnhHDx5q— Hashtag Elyoum (@Hashtagelyoum) July 27, 2022
According to the Philippine Seismological Service, a total of 800 aftershocks were recorded after the main shock; 24 of them were strong enough to be felt.
In Ambra, which suffered the full force of the earthquake, the damage is comparatively “minimal” according to police officer Mali Kula. “We don’t have a lot of people in reception centers” for the homeless, although “a lot of people remained on the streets because of the aftershocks,” Mr. Kula summarized.
In the city of Viganincluded in the UNESCO World Heritage List, in the neighboring province of Ilocos Sur, buildings from the period of Spanish colonial rule (1565-1898) were destroyed.
#Earthquake felt in Baguio Philippines after a magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck Lagangilang, Abra on Wednesday morning #lindolph #Lindol pic.twitter.com/MCBcqJFUC6
— The Asian Affairs (@TheAsianAffairs) July 27, 2022
A total of 460 building structures in that province were damaged, including the historic Bandai bell tower, a tourist attraction, which partially collapsed, Governor Jeremiah Singson said.
“Our tourism industry and small business owners have really been hit hard,” Mr Singson added.
The Philippines is often hit by strong earthquakes, as it is located on the so-called “ring of fire” in the Pacific Ocean, where seismic and volcanic activity is intense.
Yesterday’s earthquake was the strongest to hit the Southeast Asian country in years.
RES-EMP
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