Nighttime quake kills at least 15, injures 90

A powerful nighttime earthquake in the southern Philippines killed at least 15 people, injured about 90 others, damaged buildings and an airport and knocked out power, officials said Saturday. The late Friday quake with a magnitude of 6.5 roused residents from sleep in Surigao del Norte province, sending hundreds to flee their homes. The quake was centred about 14 kilometres (8 miles) northwest of the provincial capital of Surigao at a relatively shallow depth of 11 kilometres (6.8 miles), said Renato Solidum of the Philippine Institute of Seismology and Volcanology. Nearly 100 aftershocks have been felt. At least 15 people were killed, some after being hit by falling debris, provincial disaster-response official Ramon Gotinga said. At least 90 others were injured in Surigao city.