Hanoi, Oct. 1 -- The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council of the Philippines (NDRRMC) is now validating reports of 26 deaths and 147 persons injured in the magnitude 6.9 earthquake that rattled Bogo city, Cebu, and other nearby provinces on September 30 night, it said on October 1 morning.

According to the NDRRMC, the shallow earthquake with its epicentre off Cebu Island collapsed or damaged at least 22 buildings in the central region of the Philippines. The towns of Bogo, San Remigio, and Medellin were hit the hardest.

Initially measured at magnitude 6.7, the earthquake was later revised to 6.9, with a focal depth of 5-10 km. The tremor was felt across several central provinces and parts of southern Philippines.

The P...