MANILA, Philippines - The death toll from the 7.2 magnitude quake that struck Central Visayas Tuesday morning rose to 161 as rescuers recover more bodies in Bohol province, the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (NDRRMC) said Thursday afternoon.
In its 5 p.m. report, the NDRRMC said 149 of the fatalities were recorded in Bohol, 11 in Cebu and one in Siquijor.
It also reported that 21 more people remained missing in Bohol and 375 more people were injured.
The agency added that the affected population has increased to over 671,000 families or at least 3.4 million individuals, who are not staying in several evacuation centers in Bohol and Cebu provinces.
At 8:12 a.m. on Tuesday, a magnitude 7.2 earthquake hit Sagbayan town in Bohol and rattled nearby areas in Central Visayas, damaging houses and structures including centuries-old churches. State volcanologists have likened the tremor to 32 Hiroshima atomic bombs.
Read: Bohol quake is equal to 32 atomic bombs - Phivolcs
The powerful earthquake destroyed 605 houses and damaged 1,461 more in Bohol and Cebu, provinces that have been placed under a state of calamity.
A total of P179.15 million worth of damaged roads, bridges, and flood control structures was reported in the two provinces.
The Department of Public Works and Highways said a total of 31 bridges were either partially or totally damaged by the quake in the two provinces.
Of the number of bridges, 18 were impassable, three were only one-lane passable while 10 are already passable.
Seaports, airports, churches, public buildings, hospitals and private establishments were also damaged in the said provinces and in Iloilo and Negros Occidental. - Louis Bacani