A powerful magnitude 6.9 earthquake rocked Cebu City at around 9:50 p.m. on Tuesday, September 30, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) reported.

The agency identified the epicenter of the earthquake at 17 kilometers northeast of Bogo City, some 100 kilometers away from Cebu City.

The earthquake, which was tectonic in origin, was initially reported as magnitude 6.7 but Phivolcs later on upgraded its record to magnitude 6.9.

Immense damages may be expected, according to Phivolcs, as damage assessment is underway.

In the aftermath of the tremor, Phivolcs issued an Orange Alert Tsunami warning due to "minor sea-level disturbance” thus residents were advised to stay alert for unusual waves, specifically residents in coastal areas of Leyte, Cebu and Biliran.

As a precautionary measure for possible aftershocks, Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival announced class suspension for Wednesday, October 1, to ensure the safety of the public.

"This will give way to the thorough inspection of all government buildings to ensure the safety of our constituents," said Mayor Archival on social media.

"We also request all private building owners and administrators to conduct immediate safety inspections and take precautionary measures to protect their tenants, employees, and personnel," he added.

Meanwhile, Minglanilla Mayor Rajiv Enad also took to social media and announced the suspension of classes in all levels, both public and private, in his city “to give authorities time to check the integrity of school buildings and infrastructure.”