(Dan Tri) – A strong earthquake hit the Philippine island of Luzon on the morning of July 27, causing a hospital to be severely damaged, while buildings in a northern province and the capital were also shaken.
Falling rocks blocked a road in Tinok hi-way, Cordillera, Philippines due to an earthquake (Photo: EFE).
According to the US Geological Survey, the earthquake occurred in the mountainous province of Abra on the main island of Luzon with a magnitude of 7.1, with an epicenter 25km deep, about 2km northeast of Lagangilang town.
People in high-rise buildings in the capital Manila, more than 300km from the earthquake area, also felt intense shaking.
Philippine police said that in Dolores, the locality that felt the tremors most clearly, people ran out of buildings in panic.
Eric Singson, a congressman in the northern province of Ilocos Sur, told DZMM radio that people there felt the aftershocks very clearly.
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered rescue and relief teams to quickly dispatch to Abra province to race to rescue affected victims.
There is no information on casualties
People in the capital Manila evacuated outside buildings due to the earthquake (Photo: Inquirer).
There are currently no reports of casualties or damage due to the above strong earthquake.
Abra Governor Joy Bernos posted photos of the damaged Abra provincial hospital on his Facebook account, showing a large hole in the entrance facade.
`We have received reports of damage to houses but so far there have been no casualties,` said Mayor Rovelyn Villamor in Lagangilang town in Abra province.
Meanwhile, the Philippine Geological Agency warned that the earthquake would lead to many aftershocks and could cause great damage.
`The focus of attention is on Abra and neighboring provinces. This is a major earthquake,` Mr. Solidum said, adding that there were reports of landslides in some areas of Abra, especially
The Philippines is vulnerable to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions due to its location on the `Pacific Ring of Fire`, a band of volcanoes and fault lines that arc around the edge of the Pacific Ocean.
