Over 3 million affected by Visayas quake

MANILA, Philippines - More than three million people were affected by the powerful earthquake that struck Central Visayas and nearby regions on Tuesday, based on the latest data released by the government's disaster response agency on Wednesday night.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said in its 7 p.m. report that a total of 3,017,814 people were affected by the magnitude-7.2 earthquake in 971 villages in the provinces of Bohol, Cebu and Siquijor.

The NDRRMC said that 37,424 persons are displaced and 30,359 of this number are staying in 51 evacuation centers.

Chief Superintendent Danilo Constantino, Central Visayas police regional director, said that a total of 151 people have been confirmed killed.

In the same report, the NDRRMC said a total of 23 people in Bohol remained missing.

The agency said a total of 303 houses were damaged by the temblor in Bohol and Cebu.

"Seaports, airports, churches, government/public buildings, hospitals, and private establishment were damaged in the provinces of Bohol, Cebu, Iloilo, Negros Occidental, and Leyte in Region VII," the NDRRMC said in the report.

It said a total of 20 bridges and four roads in Bohol remained impassable. The province's power supply has yet to be fully restored.

The NDRRMC reported that all seaports in Cebu resumed operations on Wednesday morning while the Tagbilaran City port in Bohol remained closed to cargo ships, but open for smaller vessels.

The earthquake's estimated damage to infrastructure in the two provinces was initially placed at P75.15 million.

The two provinces have been placed under a state of calamity