48 dead, 92 missing in Philippine quake

Manila - At least 48 people were dead and up to 92 were missing after a 6.9-magnitude earthquake triggered landslides and collapsed houses in the central Philippines, an army commander said Tuesday.

The missing from Monday’s quake were mostly from Guihulngan City and La Libertad town in the province of Negros Oriental where landslides buried a total of almost 100 houses in two villages, army Colonel Francisco Zosimo Patrimonio said.

He said the landslide buried 29 houses in the village of Planas in Guihulngan City and 60 houses in the village of Solongon in La Libertad town.

Patrimonio said rescuers were having difficulty moving around to help in the search for the missing. "Many roads have been cut off so our trucks are unable to go in. There is no water, there is no electricity," he said.//DPA