The death toll from an earthquake that struck the central Philippines has risen to 85 as more reports trickled in about toppled buildings and historic churches near the epicentre.

A 7.2-magnitude earthquake killed at least 32 people across the central Philippines today, toppling buildings and historic churches and sending terrified residents into deadly stampedes.

WEEPING and stunned with disbelief, parents yesterday buried some of the 27 Philippines children who died of poisoning after eating badly-prepared cassava root. Over 100 other people remained in hospital with severe stomach pains and diarrhoea.

Weeping and stunned with disbelief, parents today laid to rest some of the 27 Filipino schoolchildren who died of poisoning after eating improperly prepared cassava root.

Grieving parents are preparing for a mass burial today of at least 27 schoolchildren in the Philippines who died after eating cassava – a root that’s poisonous if not prepared properly.

AT least 27 elementary school children died and another 100 were rushed to hospital after eating a snack during morning break in the southern Philippines yesterday.

At least 25 children died from food poisoning after eating a snack at school in the southern Philippines today.