Magnitude 5.8 aftershock leaves 14 hurt in Cebu

Local

FOURTEEN people were injured when a 5.8-magnitude earthquake struck northern Cebu early Monday, Oct. 13.

This as the province continued to recover from the devastating 6.9-magnitude quake two weeks earlier that has now claimed at least 75 lives.

The Cebu Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) said the tremor hit at 1:06 a.m. with its epicenter located about 11 kilometers southwest of Bogo City, at a shallow depth of five kilometers.

According to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs), the national agency responsible for monitoring volcanic and seismic activity, the 5.8 quake was an aftershock of the Sept. 30 disaster that caused widespread destruction across northern Cebu.

Phivolcs warned that more aftershocks are expected in the coming days.

Bogo recorded eight injured individuals, three who complained of chest pains, three who sustained lacerations, one who suffered an asthma attack, and another who sustained minor injuries.

In San Remigio, two people were injured, while Daanbantayan recorded four cases of minor injuries.

Local response teams immediately attended to the victims as assessments of structural damage continued in the affected areas.

Cebu remains under a state of calamity, declared through Executive Order No. 57 and Provincial Board Resolution No. 1985-2025, following the catastrophic September 30 earthquake that left 75 people dead, displaced thousands of residents, and destroyed homes, schools, and public infrastructure in several northern towns.

Based on the situation report sent by the Provincial Information Office, PDRRMO said the aftershock compounded ongoing recovery efforts, particularly in towns already struggling to rebuild.

Preliminary reports indicated new infrastructure damage in areas previously hit by the 6.9 quake.

In Santa Fe, a house collapsed after being struck by a water tanker, while Hagnaya Port in San Remigio sustained new structural damage.

Roads from Cebu City to Bogo remained passable, though the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) deployed a clearing team to Sogod in case of obstructions.

In Daanbantayan, several pipelines were damaged, disrupting water supply in some areas.

However, power and telecommunications remained stable throughout the northern municipalities.

Classes were suspended across multiple towns and cities.

Some localities extended suspensions to allow for structural inspections and safety evaluations.

Carcar City also reduced government office operations to half-day as part of its precautionary measures.

The PDRRMO placed the entire province under red alert status, with its Emergency Operations Center maintaining 24-hour monitoring and coordination with local governments, national agencies, and humanitarian partners.

Cebu Provincial Disaster Officer Dennis Francis Pastor said continuous assessments are being conducted, and updates will be released in the agency’s next situational report.

Authorities reminded residents to stay alert for possible landslides, aftershocks, or further structural collapses, particularly in towns heavily damaged by the earlier 6.9-magnitude earthquake.(MyTVCebu)