Death toll in Bohol quake jumps to 142

Rescuers recover an unidentified man under the rubbles at a fish port in Pasil, Cebu, central Philippines Tuesday Oct. 15, 2013. AP

MANILA, Philippines – Deaths from the destructive earthquake that jolted parts of the Visayas and Mindanao claimed at least 142 lives, authorities said Wednesday.

In Bohol, Police Officer 3 Carl John Legazpi, operations clerk of the provincial office, said on Wednesday that there were 132 killed in the province as of posting time.

The town with the most fatalities was Loon with 35 deaths, followed by Antequera with 13; and Maribojoc with 11.

The rest of the breakdown is as follows:

Getafe 2; Clarin 4; Buenavista 2; Calape 5; Tubigon 7; Balilihan 5; Inabanga 4; Batuan 1; Sagbayan 9; Baclayon 1; Tagbilaran City 4; Loay 2; Alburquerque 2;  Bilar 4; Cortes 2; Catigbian 4; San Isidro 10; Talibon 1; Trinidad 1; Danao 2; Sierra Bullones 1.

There were 181 persons injured, while 22 were still unaccounted for.

Office of Civil Defense in Central Visayas said that nine people were killed in Cebu and one was recorded in Siquijor.

Lieutenant General Roy Deveraturda, commander of Armed Forces Central Command based in Cebu, said that there were no more isolated areas.

“You just have to take a long route to reach a particular place. While we were hit by a very strong tremor, I believe the response was good. All agencies helped each other,” he said.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said that there were 20 bridges impassable in Bohol, while four roads were closed to traffic.

The earthquake also crumbled “signature churches” of the province, which were built during the Spanish times. Some of the hills of the famous Chocolate Hills sustained slight damages.

Bohol was placed under state of calamity on Tuesday.