Philippines: Earthquake - Dec 1999
Disaster description
A strong earthquake hit Luzon, the largest island of the Philippines, on Sunday, 12 December 1999, at 02:03 hrs local time (Saturday, 11 December 1999, 18:03 hrs GMT). The earthquake measured 6.8 on the Richter scale with the epicentre situated at latitude 15.8 degrees north and longitude 119.8 degrees east, approximately 170 km north-west of Manila and near Lingayen, Pangasinan Province. The main quake lasted for more than 20 seconds and was followed by a series of strong aftershocks. Six people were reportedly killed and at least 40 people were injured, mostly by debris falling from damaged walls and roofs in their homes (30 in the northern provinces of Zambales and Pangasinan and 10 others in Metropolitan Manila). Power outages continue in some parts of Manila 33 hours after the occurrence of the quake. (OCHA, 13 Dec 1999)