Dozens Dead as Magnitude-7.1 Earthquake Hits the Philippines
 

Updated 6:48 AM EDT, Tue October 15, 2013

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People gather outside damaged buildings in Cebu City after a 7.1 magnitude earthquake struck the region on October 15.


(CNN) -- A magnitude-7.1 earthquake struck central Philippines on Tuesday, leaving at least 49 people dead and rattling many who were celebrating a religious holiday.

The quake, which struck early in the morning, crumbled a number of buildings and sent panicked people streaming into the streets, witnesses said.

At least 15 were killed in the city of Cebu, four were killed in the province of Bohol and one died in the province of Siquijor, said Maj. Reynaldo Balido,a spokesman for the Philippines Office of Civil Defense.

Most of those killed were hit by falling rubble, the Philippines News Agency reported.

At least 33 people were missing, and authorities were checking into reports of people trapped in collapsed buildings in Cebu and Bohol, the agency reported. Another 164 were injured, authorities said.

The quake was centered about 385 miles (619 kilometers) south-southeast of Manila, near Catigbian, and its depth was 12 miles (20 kilometers), according to the U.S. Geological Survey said.

Maryann Zamora, a communications specialist with the charity World Vision, reported seeing glass and concrete in the streets of Cebu City, about 37 miles (60 kilometers) north of the epicenter.

"Right now we are in the streets because it is unsafe to be inside," she said by phone, her voice shaking as one of more than 10 aftershocks hit. "Tell everyone to pray for us."

Tuesday was a national holiday -- the beginning of the Muslim festival of Eid ul Adha.

There was no widespread threat of a tsunami, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said, but it warned that earthquakes this large can sometimes cause tsunamis within 61 miles (100 kilometers) of the epicenter.

Catigbian, which has a population of 23,000, is in the province of Bohol.

Tourist Robert Michael Poole said he was riding a bike in Bohol when the earthquake struck and cracked the road right in front of him.

"It was very strong," Poole said. "I live in Tokyo. I am used to earthquakes. But this one was very strong. It shocked a lot of people here."

Poole said he was able to move around and document some of the destruction, including a giant church that was decimated.

"Lucky thing is that it is a holiday here today and it happened at a time when nobody was in the church," Poole said