Cebu still on red alert as aftershocks continue
CEBU CITY—The Cebu Provincial Government has maintained a red alert status as disaster response and relief operations intensify across northern Cebu following the magnitude 6.9 earthquake that struck Bogo City on the night of Sept. 30, leaving 71 people dead, three missing, and nearly 600 injured.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology on Sunday morning continued to record quakes of magnitudes 4.1 and 4.5 in Bogo City as well as reported Intensity II in Daanbantayan, Cebu, and Instrumental Intensity in the towns of Villaba, Leyte, Abuyog and Carigara in Leyte province.
The Cebu Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) also said the quake, which struck at 9:59 p.m. with a shallow depth of 5 kilometers, continued to generate aftershocks up to Sunday, further alarming residents still reeling from the devastation.
Under red alert, all disaster response units, including the Philippine Air Force, Philippine Coast Guard, police and provincial rescue teams, are on full activation, ensuring 24-hour coordination of relief and recovery efforts.
According to the latest situation report, the quake has affected 209,972 families—equivalent to 372,513 individuals—across northern Cebu.
About 26,140 families have been displaced, seeking refuge in evacuation centers and makeshift shelters.
Besides Bogo City, the epicenter of the quake, other heavily affected areas include the municipalities of Medellin, San Remigio, Daanbantayan, Sogod and Borbon, where thousands of houses were damaged or flattened.
Bogo City Hall, Daanbantayan Municipal Building, and several schools and churches sustained severe structural damage.
Ground movement
Authorities also confirmed the appearance of sinkholes and fissures in Medellin, Borbon and San Remigio, prompting geologists to monitor ground movement in affected zones.
Relief operations remained in full swing, with the Incident Command Post in Bogo City serving as the central coordination hub.
Food, potable water, shelter materials and medical supplies remain the top priorities, along with the need for water tankers, generators and heavy equipment to clear debris and restore access roads, according to the provincial government in social media posts on Sunday.
Power supply has been 99 percent restored, while telecommunication lines are mostly operational except in isolated areas.
But ports in Hagnaya, Pulangbato and Bantayan are still closed due to pending safety inspections.
Classes in at least 10 northern municipalities remain suspended until further notice.
Gov. Pamela Baricuatro has appealed to volunteers and private donors to avoid traveling directly to quake-hit towns, citing heavy congestion disrupting emergency response convoys.
On Sunday, various reports from news media and netizens showed long lines of vehicles heading to northern Cebu stuck in traffic.
Travel time between Cebu City and Bogo City, which are about 98 km apart, usually takes three hours. But on Sunday, motorists reported being held on the road for over six hours and still unable to reach Bogo or other further destinations.
To streamline relief logistics, the Capitol has opened a donation hub at the Danao City Boardwalk, in partnership with the Danao City government, where goods are sorted and dispatched by provincial teams to affected municipalities.
Danao City, also in the north, is the gateway to the northern tip of Cebu where the affected localities are located.
The Emergency Operations Center at the Cebu Capitol located in Cebu City continues to operate on a 24-hour basis, consolidating field reports and coordinating with local government units, national agencies and private organizations.
Residents needing assistance may contact the Cebu Provincial DRRM Office at (032) 888-2328 local 2301 / 2302 / 255-0046, mobile No. 0916-731-4547, or email pdrrmo.cebu@gmail.com. —WITH A REPORT FROM DIANNE SAMPANG
