An earthquake and aftershocks struck islands off the north of the Philippines on Saturday (July 27) killing eight people and injuring 60. An initial quake of magnitude 5.4 struck the Batanes islands and was followed shortly by an aftershock of magnitude 5.9, according to Philippine government data. Another big aftershock struck a little later. The first quake killed five people while three people were killed in aftershocks, Ricardo Jalad, executive director of the disaster agency, told Reuters. Videos and photographs taken by Edna Gato, a school teacher in Itbayat town, show the aftermath of the damage on her home, and residents gathering in open spaces. Gato said she was standing outside in an open space with more than 1,000 people. The national disaster agency said it was sending medical and rescue teams to the islands, about halfway between the main Philippine island of Luzon and Taiwan.

Quake kills 8, injures 60 in northern Philippines

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Quake kills 8, injures 60 in northern Philippines