Tremor hits northern Philippines, Forces evacuations and closures

October 09, 2025 / 1:31 PM

Sharjah24 - AFP: A moderately strong earthquake struck near a mountain city in northern Philippines on Thursday, forcing residents out of buildings and prompting school closures, officials said.

Panic and evacuations

Employees and residents in Baguio City, home to around 366,000 people, rushed outdoors after the shallow quake struck at 10:30 a.m. (0230 GMT). The tremor came just 10 days after a deadly earthquake in the central Philippines that killed more than 70 people.

“We’re going to check for damage,” said Ralph Cabuag, a building administrator at the Baguio City Health Office, where over 300 employees and patients were evacuated.

Magnitude and response

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology initially recorded the quake at magnitude 4.8, later revising it to 4.4. The epicentre was located in Pugo town, near Baguio. In response, Mayor Benjamin Magalong ordered the suspension of classes in elementary and high schools as a precautionary measure.

Seismic history and wider impact

Baguio City, situated atop a mountain range and a major tourist destination, was devastated by a 7.8-magnitude earthquake in 1990 that killed about 1,600 people. The Philippines lies on the Pacific “Ring of Fire”, an area prone to frequent seismic activity.

Meanwhile, authorities raised the death toll from last week’s Cebu earthquake to 74, with two additional deaths reported in Medellin and Tabogon on Cebu Island. The quake destroyed or damaged about 72,000 houses and injured 1,058 people, according to disaster officials.