Cebu province declares 'state of calamity' as strong quake kills at least 26

At least 26 people have been killed in a 6.9 magnitude earthquake in the central Philippines, disaster management officials say.

The city of Bogo and other affected towns and muncipalities have declared a 'state of calamity' as they assess the damage caused by the quake, reports BBC.

The earthquake struck off the coast of Cebu City just before 22:00 local time (14:00 GMT) on Tuesday, causing power outages and damaging buildings.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology has cancelled a tsunami advisory, saying "any effects due to minor sea level disturbances have largely passed".

Cebu City, located in the Visayas region, has a population of nearly one million.