At least 69 dead after major earthquake strikes tourist hotspot - Britons issued urgent travel alert

Shortly before 5am in the UK, the Cebu provincial disaster office said 69 people had died. Another official said more than 150 people were injured.

Images and videos are still coming out of the popular tourist area - which is itself home to some 3.4 million people.

Footage circulating on social media showed people rushing out of their homes as the ground shook and buildings collapsed - including a church that was more than 100 years old.

Fortunately, no tsunami warning has been issued following the quake, though local resident Archel Coraza said he saw the sea recede after the tremor.

Back in the UK, the Foreign Office has issued guidance to Britons planning on travelling to Cebu.

"Power outages and disruptions to transport and communications have been reported," an advisory notice reads.

"Aftershocks are expected and may continue over the coming days."

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr assured survivors of swift assistance, adding that cabinet secretaries were on the ground to direct relief operations.

He also expressed condolences to people who had lost loved ones.

Despite the damage, the country's second busiest gateway - Mactan-Cebu International Airport - is still operational.

Another hard-hit town, San Remigio was placed under a state of calamity in order to help the response and relief efforts.

Vice-Mayor Alfie Reyenes appealed for food and water for those who affected.

She also called for heavy equipment to help with search and rescue workers.

"It is raining heavily and there is no electricity so we really need help, especially in the northern part because there's a scarcity of water after supply lines were damaged by the earthquake," Ms Reynes told local radio.

In nearby town of Pilar, resident Archel Coraza said most of his family were sleeping when their house began to shake violently.

"I woke them up and we all rushed outside into the street," he told the radio station.

Ms Reynes said among the deceased were some people who had been playing basketball in a sports complex in San Remigio when it partially collapsed due to the quake.

Earthquake monitoring agencies put the quake's depth at around 10 km (6.2 miles). However, there was no tsunami threat after the quake.