Pope Leo XIV has extended his prayers and condolences to the victims of the magnitude 6.9 earthquake that struck Cebu on Tuesday evening, leaving dozens dead and communities devastated.

According to CBCP News, Cebu Archbishop Alberto Uy said he received the Pope’s message through Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines Archbishop Charles John Brown.

“The Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines, Archbishop Charles John Brown, called me to convey the Holy Father’s heartfelt sympathies for all the survivors of the earthquake, and his prayers for the eternal repose of the victims,” Uy said.

The Pontiff also assured Filipinos of his “spiritual closeness” as communities grieve and begin recovery efforts, Uy added.

As of Thursday, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office reported 72 fatalities in Cebu, which has since been placed under a state of calamity.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology noted that the 6.9-magnitude tremor is the strongest earthquake ever recorded in northern Cebu, followed by at least 2,461 aftershocks.