In photos: Historic Itbayat Catholic Church severely damaged after strong Batanes quakes

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This handout picture taken and received on July 27, 2019 courtesy of Dominic De Sagon Asa shows the damage to the Sta Maria de Mayan Church after a pair of strong earthquakes of magnitude 5.4 and 5.9 struck the region within hours of each other, in Itbayat on Batanes island. – Eight people were killed and dozens injured when the twin earthquakes struck islands in the northern Philippines early on July 27 while many were still asleep, local officials said. (Photo by Dominic DE SAGON ASA / Courtesy of Dominic DE SAGON ASA / AFP) /
This handout picture taken and received on July 27, 2019 courtesy of Dominic De Sagon Asa shows the damage to the Sta Maria de Mayan Church after a pair of strong earthquakes of magnitude 5.4 and 5.9 struck the region within hours of each other, in Itbayat on Batanes island. – Eight people were killed and dozens injured when the twin earthquakes struck islands in the northern Philippines early on July 27 while many were still asleep, local officials said. (Photo by Dominic DE SAGON ASA / Courtesy of Dominic DE SAGON ASA / AFP)
This handout picture taken and received on July 27, 2019 courtesy of Dominic De Sagon Asa shows the damage to the Sta Maria de Mayan Church after a pair of strong earthquakes of magnitude 5.4 and 5.9 struck the region within hours of each other, in Itbayat on Batanes island. – Eight people were killed and dozens injured when the twin earthquakes struck islands in the northern Philippines early on July 27 while many were still asleep, local officials said. (Photo by Dominic DE SAGON ASA / Courtesy of Dominic DE SAGON ASA / AFP)
This handout picture taken and received on July 27, 2019 courtesy of Dominic De Sagon Asa shows the damage to the Sta Maria de Mayan Church after a pair of strong earthquakes of magnitude 5.4 and 5.9 struck the region within hours of each other, in Itbayat on Batanes island. – Eight people were killed and dozens injured when the twin earthquakes struck islands in the northern Philippines early on July 27 while many were still asleep, local officials said. (Photo by Dominic DE SAGON ASA / Courtesy of Dominic DE SAGON ASA / AFP)

(Eagle News) — The historic Itbayat Catholic church in Batanes, or the Santa Maria de Mayan parish church, bore the brunt of the successive strong quakes early Saturday, July 27.  The tremors with a magnitude of 5.4 and 5.9 struck the region within hours of each other.

The Itbayat church’s belfry was severely damaged and fell down after the tremors.

The construction of the church building was started in 1872 and completed in 1888.

The quake also severely damaged other buildings and structures in Itbayat.

 

This handout picture taken and received on July 27, 2019 courtesy of Agnes Salengua Nico shows damage caused to a building after a pair of strong earthquakes of magnitude 5.4 and 5.9 struck the region within hours of each other, in Itbayat on Batanes island. – Eight people were killed and dozens injured when the twin earthquakes struck islands in the northern Philippines early on July 27 while many were still asleep, local officials said. (Photo by Agnes Salengua Nico / Courtesy of Agnes Salengua Nico / AFP)
This handout picture taken and received on July 27, 2019 courtesy of Agnes Salengua Nico shows damage caused to a building after a pair of strong earthquakes of magnitude 5.4 and 5.9 struck the region within hours of each other, in Itbayat on Batanes island. – Eight people were killed and dozens injured when the twin earthquakes struck islands in the northern Philippines early on July 27 while many were still asleep, local officials said. (Photo by Agnes Salengua Nico / Courtesy of Agnes Salengua Nico / AFP)