The death toll in a 7.1 earthquake that struck the central Philippines on Tuesday is likely to approach 200 as rescue teams continue to recover bodies buried under rubble, an official said on Sunday.

The death toll in a 7.1 earthquake that struck the central Philippines on Tuesday is likely to approach 200 as rescue teams continue to recover bodies buried under rubble, an official said on Sunday.

A total of 185 deaths have been confirmed so far from the quake that hit the tourist island of Bohol, causing significant damage to the infrastructure.

Bohol suffered 172 dead - with over 120 of the fatalities from falling structures, said Augusto Escopia, the island's information officer.

"Our conservative estimate is that there are roughly 180 to 185 dead in Bohol alone," he told AFP, a day after officials halted the search for survivors to focus on the recovery of bodies.

The quake was also responsible for the deaths of 13 others in the central islands of Cebu and Siquijor, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council reported.