A powerful earthquake has hit the island province of Cebu in the Philippines. Authorities in the country say at least 26 people are dead and 147 have been injured

The quake occurred at around 10 p.m. local time on Tuesday off the coast of Cebu, which is located in the central part of the Philippines. The US Geological Survey reports that the quake’s focus was 10 kilometers deep, and that it had an estimated magnitude of 6.9.

The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says there is no tsunami threat from the quake.

Footage from Cebu shows people evacuating from buildings onto streets. A collapsed church building can also be seen in the images.

Cebu is a popular tourist destination that attracts visitors from many countries, including Japan. Japan’s Consulate-General in Cebu is urging people to remain alert, as aftershocks could occur.Li

The death toll is likely to rise as rescuers work to find survivors among the debris. Videos show people panicking in darkness after the earthquake.

A strong and shallow 6.9 magnitude earthquake in central Philippines has killed at least 26 people and left over 140 injured, authorities said on Wednesday.

The epicenter of the quake was about 19 kilometers (12 miles) northeast of the coastal city of Bogo in the central Cebu province. It was 5 kilometers (3 miles) deep in the earth. The earthquake struck at 9:59 p.m. local time (1359 GMT) on Tuesday night. 

What did officials say?

The Philippine institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolics) briefly issued a tsunami warning and asked people to stay away from the coastline, but later lifted it as it did not monitor any unusual waves.

“This is considered a very strong earthquake,” Phivolcs director Teresito Bacolcol said in a radio interview. “We are expecting damage, and we are expecting aftershocks,” he said.

The earthquake struck right at the heels of a severe storm that battered the Cebu region on Friday, killing at least 27 people due to falling trees and flooding.