Rescuers are searching ruined buildings in the southern Philippines to ensure no one was still trapped a day after the strongest earthquake to hit the country in a half-century killed at least 37 people and displaced more than 32,000. Only four people were considered missing on official records in the southern provinces near where the 7.8 magnitude quake struck Monday morning. However, the Office of Civil Defense acknowledged several collapsed and heavily damaged buildings must be thoroughly inspected for possible survivors or casualties. The earthquake was centered off Mindanao and displaced more than 20,000, most of whom fled to emergency shelters.
On Dec. 26, 2004, a 9.1-magnitude earthquake beneath the Indian Ocean off the Indonesian island of Sumatra triggered a tsunami with waves up to 100 feet (30 meters) high that killed about 230,000 people across a dozen countries as far as East Africa. The worst-affected countries were Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India and Thailand.
A powerful 7.5-magnitude earthquake has struck off northern Japan, injuring over 20 people and triggering a tsunami. The quake hit late Monday, about 80 kilometers off the coast of Aomori. Officials have reported a tsunami of up to 70 centimeters in some areas. The Fire and Disaster Management Agency says 23 people are injured, mostly by falling objects. Nuclear power plants are conducting safety checks, and some train services are suspended. The Japan Meteorological Agency is warning of possible aftershocks and increased risk of a megaquake.
By JOEAL CALUPITAN and AARON FAVILA Associated Press
Rescuers are using backhoes and sniffer dogs to look for survivors in collapsed houses and other damaged buildings in the central Philippines, a day after an earthquake killed at least 69 people. Officials say the death toll is expected to rise from the magnitude 6.9 earthquake that hit at about 10 p.m. Tuesday. The quake trapped an unspecified number of residents in the hard-hit city of Bogo and outlying rural towns in Cebu province. Army troops, police and civilian volunteers were deployed Wednesday to carry out house-to-house searches. Officials say intermittent rain and damaged bridges and roads have hampered the race to save lives.
By KEVIN FREKING and MARY CLARE JALONICK Associated Press
Updated
The House has approved President Donald Trump's request to claw back about $9 billion for public broadcasting and foreign aid. Democrats argued that the Republican administration's animus toward foreign aid programs would hurt America's standing in the world and create a vacuum for China to fill. The White House argued that the cuts best served the taxpayer and would incentivize other nations to do more to address humanitarian crises. The cancellation of $1.1 billion for the Corporation for Public Broadcast represents the full amount it is due to receive during the next two budget years. Some lawmakers voiced concern about what the cuts could mean for local public stations in their state.
