The first shock (M 6.1) occurred at 17:11 local time on Monday, April 22, 2019, on the island of Luzon. Less than 24 hours later, a M 6.3 earthquake struck at a depth of 83.3 kilometers on the island of Samar in central Philippines.
At least 11 people were confirmed dead from the first seismic shock while the total number of casualties from both earthquakes remains unknown.
Clark International Airport was temporarily closed as parts of some buildings were damaged. 7 people were injured and more than 100 flights were canceled. Many road networks were also affected and are currently closed for repairs.
Most of the buildings developed cracks but few totally collapsed. A 4-story supermarket in Porac gave way trapping numerous people under the debris. Rescue operations rapidly initiated to aid the victims. Firefighters and military units rushed at the scene. An investigation about the causes of the collapse will initiate soon. According to local officials, it was the most powerful tremblor the city has experienced.
The massive shock was felt in Manila, where skyscrapers were seen swaying for a significant amount of time. An apartment block in the Anchor Skysuites experienced intense oscillation which resulted in creating a waterfall from its swimming pool in the flat room of the building. Click the link below to watch the impressive footage.
In total, about 49 million people felt the earthquake and more than 14 million of them experienced moderate shaking or more.
Philippines is prone to earthquakes as it is located on the Ring of Fire, a large area in the basin of the Pacific Ocean where massive temblors and volcanic eruptions occur. The Ring of Fire is accountable for 90% of the world's earthquakes.