(VOVworld)- At least 140 people are reported to have died in a 7.2-magnitude earthquake that struck central Philippines Tuesday causing widespread damage.

Damaged cars lie under a rubble outside the GMC Plaza Building in Cebu, central Philippines Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2013. A 7.2-magnitude earthquake collapsed buildings, cracked roads and toppled the bell tower of the Philippines' oldest church Tuesday morning. Photo: AP

The US Geological Survey said the epicenter was 56 km below in Bohol Island, 629 kilometers southeast of Manila. This was the worst earthquake in this region in the last 20 years. According to the Philippines’ Committee on National Disaster Management and Mitigation, on Bohol Island alone, at least 69 people died in collapsing houses and some 269 people were injured. Many structures on Bohol Island have been severely damaged, including the town hall, a church, schools, port facilities, and a hospital.