At least 69 people have been killed in a 6.9-magnitude earthquake that trapped an unspecified number of residents in collapsed houses, nightclubs and businesses in a central Philippine province.

An earthquake of magnitude 6.9 struck near the Eastern Visayas region in the Philippines on Tuesday, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) said.

Thirteen were killed in Bogo, a city of 90,000 people near the northern tip of Cebu island and close to the epicentre, Bogo rescuer Cherry Oliamot told AFP.