Updated Jul 27, 2022 - World

Deadly 7-magnitude quake strikes northern Philippines

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Residents try to clear up debris from an old house in Vigan city, Ilocos Sur province north of Manila on July 27. — Residents try to clear up debris from an old house in Vigan city, north of Manila, on July 27 after an earthquake. Photo: Ricardo Raguini/AFP via Getty Images

A powerful earthquake that struck the northern Philippines on Wednesday morning killed at least four people and wounded dozens of others as it triggered small landslides and destroyed homes, per Al Jazeera.

The big picture: The 7-magnitude quake hit the northwestern part of Luzon, the country's most populous island, at 8:43am local time, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. It sent tremors to the capital Manila, about 250 miles away, forcing residents and workers to evacuate buildings and rush into streets, CNN notes.

Per the USGS, the quake's epicenter was at a shallow depth of 6.2 miles and about 8 miles southeast of the town of Dolores in Abra province, where at least one death was reported.
Officials said the earthquake injured at least 60 people and that two of the deaths occurred in Benguet province, Reuters reports.

What they're saying: "Despite the sad reports about the damages caused by the earthquake, we are assuring quick response to those in need and affected by this calamity," said the newly elected Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in a Facebook post.

Editor's note: This article has been updated with new details throughout.

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Deadly 7-magnitude quake strikes northern Philippines

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