The death toll continues to rise as a result of the devastating earthquake that struck the the Philippines on Tuesday. Officials put the current number at 144 dead with hundreds more injured and scores missing. Authorities there say that the numbers will continue to rise as communications are re-established to remote areas of the archipelago.

The 7.2 magnitude quake, generated 32 miles beneath the surface, rocked the Pacific islands from an epicenter near the popular tourist destination of Bohol Island, causing landslides and widespread damage to the area at 8:12 am. The epicenter suffered the most fatalities from the quake, with numbers over 134.

Aftershocks after the powerful quake keep the residents in the area on edge. Much of the population of millions slept outdoors as tremors contiinued to plague the islands. Well over 800 aftershocks have been recorded since the devastating initial earthquake.

The air force has began bringing in relief supplies as ferries and airlines have returned to service even as at lleast 23 bridges on the island of Bohol were damaged to the extent that they are impassable and some roads remain closed.

Food and supply prices have been frozen in the area to cut down on disaster profiteering. That measure was triggered when the Philipine government declared a state of calamity after the quake.

Tourism on the islands took a hit, but the industry is optimistic and are confident that it will be short-lived and return to normal in a very short time.

The island of Bohol has not sufffered a quake of a similar magnitude since 1602