‘Big One’ in Cebu: Experts urge action on earthquake science

Local

SCIENTIFC studies and hazard maps have long warned of the earthquake risks facing Cebu, including a ‘big one.’

But disaster experts say the greater challenge now is ensuring that scientific knowledge is translated into concrete action before a major seismic event strikes.

The call comes as the Department of Science and Technology-Central Visayas (DOST-7) pushes for wider use of science-based disaster risk assessment tools.

In a statement issued on Monday, June 8, the agency emphasized that preparedness depends not only on understanding hazards but also on incorporating those findings into development planning, infrastructure design and community protection measures.

“Science alone does not save lives. It must be embedded into land-use planning, infrastructure design and local disaster preparedness systems,” DOST-7 said.

Their statement came as a powerful Magnitude 7.8 quake rocked General Santos City that has already claimed 19 lives, according to reports from national media.

Cebu lies a fault system capable of generating an earthquake with a magnitude of up to 7.0, posing a significant threat to the province’s rapidly urbanizing capital, said DOST-7.

Pointing to the 6.9-magnitude quake that struck Bogo City in September, the region still suffers from a ‘critical gap between available scientific data and its practical application.’

While geological studies and fault assessments had long existed, they were not fully integrated into planning and development decisions, limiting their effectiveness in reducing risk, scientists added.

Among the areas they cited where science has yet to be applied in disaster preparedness was Cebu City,

which faces compounding vulnerabilities, including high population density, rising high-rise developments, informal settlements and limited open spaces that could serve as evacuation areas during emergencies.

While simulations played an important role in mitigation, they must be complemented by other measures such as strict enforcement of zoning regulations, retrofitting of structurally unsafe buildings and relocation of communities in high-risk zones.

"The issue is not only about faults beneath the ground but also about gaps above it — in systems, urgency and action," DOST-7 said.

In the meantime, the department reported that local governments across Cebu had started implementing Rapid Earthquake Damage Assessment System (REDAS), their software propriety that simulates earthquake scenarios and identifies vulnerable areas based on fault proximity, population distribution and ground conditions.(RBE)