Death toll from Visayas quake rises to 189

A Philippine Air Force helicopter hovers above the totally-collapsed Our Lady of Light church at Loon township, Bohol province in central Philippines Thursday Oct.17, 2013. AP Photo

MANILA, Philippines — Deaths from the 7.2 magnitude earthquake that struck Central Visayas last week increased to 189 on Monday.

Reports from police and National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said that as of Monday afternoon, 176 were killed in Bohol, 12 in Cebu and one in Siquijor.

Eleven were missing, all of which were from Bohol.

The destructive quake affected three million people in Central Visayas, and about 109,000 persons were in shelters.

Damage to infrastructure in Bohol and Cebu has reached P867 million. There were also about 45,000 houses damaged.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines deployed two C-130 Cargo planes and three naval logistic ships to transport a total of 285,000-lb relief goods to Tagbilaran, Bohol.

On Sunday, the Naval Forces Central also deployed its logistic ship AT295 and two navy vessels to Bohol to transport 237,000 lbs of relief goods from the Department of Health, Royal Malaysian Armed Forces, and ABS-CBN foundation for evacuees in Tagbilaran City.

The AFP Central Command based in Cebu continued to be on red alert status for humanitarian assistance and disaster operations. The Army’s 2nd Special Forces Battalion based in Bohol continued to assist in the distribution of relief goods.

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