Philippines earthquake: Death toll reaches 4, several injured

An extremely fierce, 6.9 magnitude earthquake hits the Davao del Sur in Mindanao, the Philippines on December 15. The death toll raised to four, including a six-year-old girl and leaving several dozens injured. Disaster response officials informed that the bodies of two women were also recovered after the city suffered several aftershocks at night. 

6.9 magnitude earthquake hits the Philippines

The strong earthquake tremors originated from centered 60 kilometers southwest of Davao on the island of Mindanao at a depth of 30 kilometers as reported by the US Geological Survey. Today morning, tremors of 3.9 magnitudes at 16 kilometres of depth were also reported. This was the fifth strong earthquake in the series of Earthquakes suffered by the Philippines since October. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said that there are no further threats of a tsunami from the tremors of the Earthquake. 

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The search and rescue operation is going on. According to Superintendent Samuel Tadeo, the Bureau of Fire Protection operations chief a three-story building collapsed in the Padada town in Davao Del Sur province, located 1,000 kilometres south of Manila. Four people were reported dead and several others are still under the debris. The officials informed that the degree of damage is still uncertain and at least 15 people were reported injured. The emergency team was able to rescue six people from the building which collapsed in the market area.

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The people involved in the rescue operation are using chainsaws and thermal imaging equipment to find and locate the survivors but considering the gravity of the Earthquake, there are bleak chances of finding people alive. There are several videos posted on social media when the Earthquake rocked the city. People rushed out of their houses, markets, and malls. People captured a terrifying explosion from a transformer, which occurred during the Earthquake and the water sloshing out from the swimming pool. 

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