Death Toll From Philippines Earthquake Rises To 8

The death toll from a magnitude 6.7 offshore earthquake in the southern Philippines rose to eight, the country’s civil defence said.

Two people missing in a landslide after Friday’s quake, which struck deep off Mindanao Island, were confirmed dead, the Office of Civil Defense said.

Report says the latest deaths were from Sarangani province.

Meanwhile, others were killed in South Cotabato and Davao Occidental province, while 13 people were injured from the tremor, which sent scores of people into panic and damaged more than 50 houses and other buildings.

Electricity has been restored and most roads are now passable, the agency said.

Earthquakes are frequent in the Philippines, lying in the Pacific “Ring of Fire”, which the US Geological Survey describes as the “most seismically and volcanically active zone in the world.”

REUTERS/Christopher Ojilere