A powerful earthquake hit the Philippines on Wednesday. In the northern province of Abra, numerous buildings were destroyed by the powerful quakes, a hospital partially collapsed and had to be evacuated. The earthquake, which reached a magnitude of 7.2 according to the European seismic authority, also triggered landslides. The epicenter was in the city of Lagangilang.
The Abra Provincial Public Information Office posted photos of collapsed houses and badly damaged buildings with deep cracks on its Facebook page. It was initially unclear whether there were dead or injured people under the rubble. Some parts of the region, especially Manabo, reported landslides as a result of the earthquake.
Waving Buildings in Manila
The region is located in the north of the island of Luzon, 335 kilometers north of the capital Manila. Several buildings there were evacuated, including the parliament. The subway stopped running in the middle of morning traffic and eyewitnesses reported swaying buildings. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered rescue teams to be sent to the hardest hit regions. Marcos himself also wanted to go to the area hit by the earthquake. There was no tsunami warning.
Most geologically active zone in the world
The Philippines is located on the Pacific Ring of Fire – the most geologically active zone on Earth. In 2013, 220 people died in the center of the Southeast Asian island nation in the last violent 7.1 earthquake. In July 1990, an earthquake measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale killed more than 2,400 people on the island of Luzon.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
