DepEd: 16,000 schools affected by 6.9-magnitude quake in Cebu

More than 16,000 schools were affected by the magnitude 6.9 earthquake that struck Bogo City in Cebu province on Tuesday night, the Department of Education (DepEd) said Wednesday.

According to DepEd’s situation report, 197 classrooms sustained minor damage, 26 suffered major damage, and 34 were totally destroyed. At least six WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) facilities were also damaged.

DepEd added that 2,220 learners and 97 teaching and non-teaching personnel across 73 school divisions were affected by the disaster.

Most of the affected students came from Canlaon City, Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, Siquijor, Iloilo, Bohol, Carcar City, Cebu, Lapu-Lapu City, Toledo City, and Bonogan City.

So far, no injuries among learners have been reported.

At 9:59 p.m. Tuesday, a magnitude 6.9 tectonic earthquake jolted near Bogo City, Cebu, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs). The epicenter was located about 21 kilometers north, 73° east of Bogo City, at a depth of 5 kilometers.