Quake shakes Philippines: 6.9 tremor hits Bohol, damaging church; 31 killed

A strong earthquake of magnitude 6.9 on the Richter Scale hit central Philippines on Tuesday, killing at least 31 people and injuring many others, as per AP.

The death toll in Bogo was expected to rise. Workers were trying to transport a backhoe to hasten search and rescue efforts in a cluster of shanties in a mountain village hit by a landslide and boulders, disaster-mitigation officer Rex Ygot told The Associated Press by telephone.

The strong tremor sent people out running, damaging at least 22 buildings including a stone church and knocking out power in several areas.

A strong magnitude 6.9 earthquake hit Bantayan Island, Philippines, affecting the St. Peter and Paul the Apostle Parish Church in Bantayan town. pic.twitter.com/dYPAq3vGxl

— Weather Monitor (@WeatherMonitors) September 30, 2025

Live streamer (Sam Pepper) captures the M6.9 earthquake that just hit the Philippines. This is in Cebu....pic.twitter.com/5BebMAFgpj

— Volcaholic 🌋 (@volcaholic1) September 30, 2025

According to USGS, the epicentre of the quake was around 11 kilometres east-southeast of Calape in Bohol province with a population of around 33,000 people.

The local seismology office has warned of a possible "minor sea-level disturbance," according to a news report from AFP. It has also urged the residents of the central islands of Leyte, Cebu and Biliran to "stay away from the beach and not to go to the coast".

"There is no tsunami threat from this earthquake", and "no action is required," the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre said.