A night of terror shook the Philippines when a 6.9 magnitude earthquake ripped through Cebu province on Tuesday.
It left at least 69 dead and dozens injured.
Imagine fleeing into the streets as buildings cracked, bridges fell, and the ground kept trembling from relentless aftershocks.
That’s exactly what thousands endured, many spending the night under the open sky, too afraid to return home.
In Bogo, the town closest to the epicenter, scenes were heartbreaking.
Body bags lined the streets, while makeshift tent hospitals struggled to treat hundreds of victims.
“Children were crying everywhere, they were traumatised,” one resident told the BBC, describing how power and water supplies vanished in an instant.
Philippines In Ruins
This disaster comes just days after back-to-back typhoons battered the country, killing more than 20.
Now, battered roads, collapsed bridges, and downed power lines are slowing rescue efforts.
Authorities have appealed for volunteer medics, warning there’s still “a lot of damage” to uncover.
Even sacred spaces weren’t spared. In one town, the bell tower of a centuries-old Catholic church swayed before crumbling to the ground.
Cebu’s archbishop has since urged worshippers to avoid churches until safety checks are complete.
The Philippines, perched precariously on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” knows natural disasters all too well.
Still, each quake and storm leaves a painful reminder: life here can change in a single, violent moment.
