Earthquake injures 25 people in southern Philippines

Monday, July 15, 2019

At 4:42 local time on Saturday (2024 Friday, UTC), an earthquake struck Surigao del Sur, Philippines, injuring at least 25 people and damaging churches, houses, and other infrastructure, according to Philippine officials.

Governor Alexander Pimentel told CNN Philippines the towns damaged were primarily Carrascal, Cantilan, Madrid, Carmen, Lanuza, and Cortes.

According to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs), the epicenter was located roughly nine kilometers (about six miles) east of Carrascal, 73 km (45 miles) north of Tandag City, the capital of Surigao del Sur. Phivolcs reported the earthquake's magnitude was 5.5; United States Geological Survey (USGS) reported 5.8.

Madrid District Hospital in the town of Madrid, which sustained cracks on concrete walls with some pieces falling to the ground, treated 25 wounded people who evacuated to the hospital, CNN Philippines reported the governor said.

Earlier this year, northern Philippines suffered a 6.3 magnitude earthquake causing eleven deaths.


Sources