At least 20 people are reported to have died after a 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck near one of the Philippines key tourist hubs.
The quake struck at 8.12am on Tuesday (local time) on a national holiday in the country, which possibly saved lives as schools and offices were closed. It was centred 5km east of Balilihan in the Bohol region, at a depth of 56km.
People were killed as buildings and markets collapsed in Bohol and nearby Cebu province. Several buildings and churches were damaged by the quake, the BBC reports. Fifteen of the confirmed deaths were in Cebu, considered the country's second major city.
Residents and tourists reported extensive damage to centuries-old churches and modern buildings, while major roads were also ripped open and blocked by landslides.
The United States Geological Survey says the impact of the quake should be relatively localised, AFP reports.
There have been two aftershocks measuring more than 5.0 in magnitude. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre has not issued a Pacific-wide tsunami threat.
