Australia announces humanitarian support for Philippines following tropical storms
The Australian government has announced humanitarian assistance to support the Philippines' recovery from a devastating series of tropical storms.
A massive 6.5 magnitude earthquake jolted Mindanao Island on Thursday in the southern Philippines, close to where another strong tremor that killed eight people and two missing and about 400 injured earlier this week.
According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), which monitors seismic activity worldwide, reported that the epicentre of the quake was 10 km deep and about 15 km from from the municipality of Bansalan.
Advertisement
This was the third seism above magnitude six to hit the region in less than two weeks.
Advertisement
Earlier on Tuesday, Philippines authorities said that the quake-affected 25,630 people across Mindanao — of which 12,760 have been sheltered in 19 evacuation centres in the affected areas — causing significant damages to schools, hospitals and more than 2,000 houses.
Less than two weeks ago, another severe magnitude 6.4 tremors struck the same region (near Tulunam) leaving seven dead and more than 200 injured.
The Philippines is located along the Ring of Fire, a region of high volcanic and seismic activity that is shaken every year by some 7,000 quakes, most of them moderate.
This year, Philippines has been struck by several high-intensity earthquakes, with the most deadly tremor hitting Pampanga province in April, which killed 16 people and another in Batanes in July, which resulted in nine deaths.
The last major earthquake to hit the country took place in October 2013, when more than 220 people were killed in the central Philippines in a 7.1-magnitude tremor.
In July 1990, more than 220 people died in Luzon island in a temblor measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale, which was one of the most powerful ones to hit the country.
Advertisement
