The quake was felt across the central region, and people rushed out of homes and buildings, including hospitals, as aftershocks continued. Offices and schools were closed for a national holiday, which may have saved lives.

The temblor, which struck at 8:12 a.m. (local time), was centered about 56 kilometers below Carmen town on Bohol Island and did not cause a tsunami. At least four were killed on Bohol, said the island's Gov. Edgardo Chatto. Five others were killed when a fishing port collapsed in Cebu city, across the strait from Bohol, officials said. Two more people died and 19 were injured when the roof of a market in Mandaue in Cebu province collapsed.