2023-11-17 14:30:49
At least two people died in a severe earthquake in the Philippines on Friday. A woman and her husband were killed by a collapsing wall not far from a lumber factory near the city of General Santos, local police said. There was also damage to buildings in several places. The authorities in the Southeast Asian country did not issue a tsunami warning.
According to the US Earthquake Observatory USGS, the quake occurred on Friday in Sarangani province on the main island of Mindanao at a depth of 78 kilometers. It therefore reached a magnitude of 6.7.
A verified photo published on the online service Facebook showed a collapsed ceiling in a shopping center in General Santos, almost a hundred kilometers from the epicenter of the quake. In a video from another shopping center in the city, customers could be seen sheltering under tables at a fast food restaurant and screaming because of the shaking.
“I saw things falling from the ceiling,” said 34-year-old Gregorio Narajos, who shot the video. “When we came out, we saw cracks and debris outside.”
According to Adrian Imbong of General Santos emergency services, about 30 students were treated who had breathing problems due to fear of the quake. The tremors also caused many people to panic in the city of Davao. “I think this was the strongest earthquake I’ve ever experienced,” said 27-year-old Keeshia Leyran. “The people around me panicked and ran out.”
Police in Sarangani said there were no reports of damage or casualties. Jason Sioco of the local disaster management agency said cracks appeared in several school buildings in the municipality of Jose Abad Santos. However, no “substantial damage” was reported.
The Philippines lies on the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, where several plates collide. Earthquakes and volcanic eruptions therefore occur frequently in the Southeast Asian country.
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