Philippines earthquake: Dozens dead as powerful 6.9 magnitude quake crumbles buildings

The death toll from a 6.9-magnitude earthquake that hit the central Philippines rose to 69 on Wednesday, a disaster official said, as authorities mounted a rescue effort to find survivors after one of the country’s strongest quakes in a decade. The shallow quake struck late on Tuesday off the coast of the island of Cebu, cutting power and damaging buildings. It was not immediately clear how many people were missing. The death toll was 69 as of late morning Wednesday, said Jane Abapo of the regional Civil Defence office, citing data from the provincial disaster agency that was subject to validation.

• Powerful quake kills dozens in the Philippines, many more missing