A massive 7.0-magnitude earthquake struck the Philippines on Wednesday, followed by a series of large aftershocks.
The quake hit in the northwestern region of the island of Luzon at a shallow depth of about 10 kilometers, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). At least four people are believed to have been killed as a result of the quake that could be felt in the nation’s capital of Manila, almost 300 miles away from the epicenter located about six miles southeast of Dolores in the province of Abra, Reuters reported.
Office of Abra Rep. Ching Bernos shares pictures of effects of earthquake earlier. pic.twitter.com/LwSlmHeHRv
— RG Cruz, ABS-CBN News (@RG_Cruz12479) July 27, 2022
“We felt really strong shaking. We started shouting and rushed outside,” a student from San Juan municipality in Abra told Barons. “Our house is ok but houses down the hill were damaged.”
The massive tremor left more than a hundred people injured and caused a series of landslides throughout the mountainous region, the outlet reported. (RELATED: Wildfires Combine To Create Massive Blaze In Multiple States)
More than 170 buildings were damaged throughout the area, Interior Secretary Benjamin Abalos said during a news conference, according to Reuters. Abra Vice Gov. Joy Bernos shared images on her Facebook of the damage to a local hospital.
The tectonics around the northern regions of the Philippines are “complex,” according to USGS. It’s made up of a series of different types of faults, including subduction zones and strike slips, which both have high seismicity rates, the organization said.
The islands are prone to natural disasters due to its location in the “Ring of Fire,” an area of high seismicity in the Pacific linked to earthquakes and volcanoes, Reuters noted. Aftershocks are anticipated throughout the coming days and weeks, according to one local outlet Inquirer Net, who cited the Philippines Institute of Volcanology and Seismology.