Vigan, Jul 28 (BUS): Frightened residents of the Philippine province of Abra spent the night sleeping in the fresh air after a strong earthquake hit the northern island of Luzon, killing four people and injuring more than 130.
Some people in the area said they were too afraid to go home, and camped instead with their families on sidewalks and in parks to ensure their safety.
The 7.1-magnitude earthquake shook the northern Philippine island of Luzon on Wednesday morning, damaging homes and buildings, including heritage buildings and centuries-old churches.
Seismologists have since recorded nearly 800 aftershocks.
Mark Tempal, a spokesman for the National Disaster Agency, told reporters that the death toll in the quake had been revised from five to four, but the number of injured had risen to more than 130.
The Philippines is prone to natural disasters and is located in the seismically active Pacific “Ring of Fire,” a group of volcanoes and fault lines that curve around the edge of the Pacific Ocean.
Earthquakes are frequent and there are an average of 20 hurricanes each year, some of which cause deadly landslides.
Ricardo Galad, director of the Civil Defense Office, said that some parts of Abra are still without electricity or water and are experiencing communication outages.
The budget ministry said authorities were ready to release funds for disaster relief.
ZHB