This archive report was first published on 15 December 2019.
On December 15, 2019, a powerful earthquake struck the southern Philippines, causing widespread damage and prompting a rescue operation.
The quake, which had a magnitude of 6.8, occurred near the city of Davao, about 90 kilometers from the epicenter.
Patients were evacuated from hospitals as a precaution, and nervous crowds gathered outside shopping malls after the powerful jolt and a series of smaller aftershocks.
"We can no longer use our office because the walls cracked and the stairs collapsed," said local police spokeswoman Lea Orbuda. "The power is off and the water taps are dry."
President Rodrigo Duterte, who is from Davao, was caught up in the earthquake but was unharmed, officials said.
"The First Lady... said the car she was riding (in) was swaying," said spokesman Salvador Panelo. "They are unhurt."
The Philippines is situated on the Pacific "Ring of Fire," an arc of intense seismic activity that stretches from Japan through Southeast Asia and across the Pacific basin.
The country has been hit by several powerful earthquakes in recent decades, including one of magnitude 7.8 that struck the northern resort town of Baguio in 1990, killing over 1,200 people.
