Earthquakes in the Philippines have killed 43 people

AFP news agency quoted a Philippine military official as saying that the number of fatalities in the magnitude 6.8 earthquake in Central Vietnam this morning increased to 43 people.

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According to the source, at least 29 deaths were caused by landslides while the remaining victims were buried as many buildings in the mountainous town of Guihulngan collapsed on Negros island.

The US Seismic Exploration Agency (USGS) said this intense earthquake occurred at 11:49 local time off the central Philippines with the epicenter at a depth of about 40km, in a narrow strait between the two Negros and Cebu are populated islands.

About 4 hours later, USGS said Central Philippines again suffered a second earthquake with a magnitude of 6.2 on the Richter epicenter at a depth of 35km and Dumaguete City on Negros Island about 59km to the northwest.

The last two days, the Philippines has continuously suffered from intense earthquakes, dragging many aftershocks. Earlier on February 5, a magnitude 5.5 earthquake shook Mindanao, the Philippines' second largest island. Meanwhile, on the evening of February 4, a magnitude 6 earthquake struck off the island of Samar, but there was no warning about the tsunami.

Immediately after the strong earthquakes in the Philippines, Surin Pitsuwan, Secretary of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) asked the ASEAN Secretariat as well as the newly established ASEAN Humanitarian Assistance Center. Watch closely the situation and be ready to support.

In a statement released on February 6, ASEAN Secretary-General condemned the casualties and stressed that ASEAN is always ready to help the Philippines and not only members but also dialogue partners are available. Support if necessary.