MANILA: A powerful 7.1 magnitude earthquake struck the Philippine island of Luzon on Wednesday killing at least one person and damaging buildings in the northern Abra province and sending strong tremors through the capital, Manila.
A 25-year-old man was killed by falling debris, said Abra Vice Governor Joy Bernos, when the quake struck about 11 km (six miles) southeast of Dolores town at a shallow depth of 10 km (6 miles), according to U.S. Geological Survey data.
“Despite the sad reports about the damages caused by the earthquake, we are assuring quick response to those in need and affected by this calamity,” President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said on Facebook.
The quake hit close to Marcos family’s political stronghold.
A hospital in Abra province was evacuated after the building partially collapsed but there were no casualties reported there, officials said.
Bernos posted photos of the damaged Abra hospital on her Facebook account, which showed a gaping hole in its facade.
Read more: Father runs outside house with daughter just before earthquake
Other photos showed hospital beds, including one with a patient, being wheeled across a road and evacuated hospital staff.
“We are still experiencing aftershocks. We have received reports of damages to houses. But so far no casualties,” Mayor Rovelyn Villamor in the town of Lagangilang in Abra province told DZRH radio.
Renato Solidum, director of the state seismology agency, told DZRH radio station, strong aftershocks were expected.
“The focus of attention is on Abra and nearby provinces. This is a major earthquake,” Solidum said, adding that landslides had been reported in some parts of Abra, particularly in the town of Manabo.
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