Death toll in Philippine earthquake rises to 74

Alsharq Tribune-AFP 

Emergency workers retrieved two more bodies from the ruins of the 6.9-magnitude earthquake that struck the central Philippines on Sept. 30, bringing the death toll to 74, the Philippines' highest body for disaster risk reduction and management reported on Thursday.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) further reported that 559 people have been injured in the 5-km-deep, offshore quake that hit Cebu province.

The tremor has affected more than 189,000 families, or approximately 666,000 villagers, and caused widespread damage to infrastructure, homes, and businesses.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology continues to record aftershocks, forcing people to stay along the road and in open spaces in makeshift tents due to safety concerns.