Eight people were killed and dozens injured in the earthquake that hit the islands in the northern Philippines in the early morning of July 27 while many people were still sleeping, local officials said. The second 5.9-magnitude earthquake damaged homes and other buildings in Itbayat, Batanes at 37 a.m.
The earthquake occurred while many people were still sleeping. They were awakened by the shaking and screams of everyone asking for help. More than 1,000 residents of the island of Itbayat were hit hard, nearly half of the population were mainly fishermen living on the island - advised not to return home and stay in the town square due to consecutive aftershocks that rocked the area.
