Philippines’ Cebu Grapples with Unrelenting Aftershocks, Exceeding 9,300 Following Deadly Quake

MANILA: The central Philippine province of Cebu remains in a state of high alert as it endures a relentless series of aftershocks, with the count surpassing 9,300 since a devastating magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck last week, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS).

The seismic crisis has exacerbated the damage and trauma from the initial tremor on September 30, which killed at least 72 people, injured more than 500, and stands as the most powerful quake to hit the region in over a decade.

A Province on Edge

The constant tremors have prevented any sense of normalcy from returning. “As of 6 a.m., we have recorded 9,037. The strongest so far is the October 3 aftershock, which was magnitude 5.1,” PHIVOLCS Director Dr. Teresito Bacolcol told local Dobol B TV. By afternoon, the agency updated the alarming figure to 9,308 aftershocks, highlighting the intensely active and unstable fault system.

The quake’s epicenter was located near Bogo City, which suffered the brunt of the casualties. However, the powerful tremors reverberated across the province, causing significant damage in the densely populated provincial capital, Cebu City, approximately 100 kilometers away.

Compounding Dangers and Widespread Damage

Experts warn that the ongoing seismic activity presents a cascade of secondary hazards. Charmaine V. Villamil, a geologist and senior researcher at PHIVOLCS, detailed the multiple threats.

“The strong aftershocks can further damage structures previously affected by the main shock, can trigger landslides, especially in mountainous areas where tension cracks are already visible,” Villamil told Arab News. “They can cause more sinkholes, and can further cause coastal subsidence and lateral spreading—liquefaction.”

Liquefaction, a phenomenon where solid ground loses its strength and behaves like a liquid during seismic shaking, is a major concern. This can cause buildings, roads, and infrastructure to sink or collapse, even if they withstood the initial quake.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) estimates that the disaster has damaged more than 62,500 houses, leaving tens of thousands of residents homeless or living in fear of their unstable homes. The provincial government has declared a state of calamity for the entire province of 3.5 million people, enabling the faster release of emergency funds and resources.

A Region Familiar with Seismic Perils

The disaster compounds an already difficult period for Cebu, which was hit by two typhoons in quick succession just weeks before the earthquake. While Cebu lies outside the country’s most common typhoon path, it is acutely vulnerable to earthquakes as part of the seismically active Pacific Ring of Fire.

The trauma of the current quake evokes painful memories of the magnitude 7.2 earthquake that struck in 2013, which killed at least 215 people and heavily damaged centuries-old churches in Cebu and the neighboring island province of Bohol.

As search and rescue operations transition into recovery and rebuilding, the people of Cebu face a long and challenging path. With aftershocks expected to continue for weeks or even months, the focus remains on providing shelter to the displaced, conducting thorough safety assessments of damaged structures, and helping a shaken community begin the process of healing.

 

 

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