Eight dead in Philippines after strong earthquake strikes north of Manila
- Swaying buildings in the capital sent thousands of workers fleeing onto the streets, while blackouts were reported in several towns
- More than 100 flights, including routes to and from Hong Kong and Singapore, cancelled as Clark International Airport is closed because of damage to facilities
At least eight people were killed when a magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck the Philippines’ main island of Luzon on Monday, and officials feared dozens could be trapped in the rubble of a collapsed commercial building.
The quake hit 60km (37 miles) northwest of the capital, Manila, disrupting air, rail and road transport and causing some damage to buildings and infrastructure. The international airport at Clark, a former US military base, was closed and more than 100 flights were cancelled after damage to parts of the facility, including check-in areas.
The province of Pampanga was worst hit. Eight people were killed and about 20 injured, provincial governor Lilia Pineda said by telephone, citing information from disaster officials.
Rescuers were using heavy duty equipment and search dogs to try to reach people trapped after a four-storey building went down, crushing the ground-floor supermarket, she said.
“They can be heard crying in pain,” she said of those trapped. “It won’t be easy to rescue them.”
