At least 36 people were injured in a severe earthquake in the north of the Philippines. The 6.4-magnitude quake struck around 11 p.m. (local time) on Tuesday evening in Abra province, about 350 kilometers north of Manila, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology. The epicenter was near the town of Lagayan. According to the government, many houses and public infrastructure were also damaged. Electricity went out in some areas.
Videos circulating online showed people panicking and sheltering under tables at their workplaces. In the nearby province of Ilocos Norte, a hospital had to be evacuated after the ceiling collapsed there. According to civil protection, some roads were closed due to rockfalls and cracks.
fear of returning
By Wednesday afternoon, more than 400 aftershocks had been recorded, it said. “Many people are afraid to go back to their homes,” said civil protection spokesman Raffy Alejandro. Citizens have set up temporary shelters in front of their houses, others have stayed in evacuation centers.
The island nation lies on the Pacific Ring of Fire, the most geologically active zone on earth. There are frequent volcanic eruptions and earthquakes. In 1990, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck the island of Luzon, causing severe devastation. More than 2400 people died.
Earthquake information Photos of the damaged hospital More photos
