The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) on Wednesday said search and rescue operations are in full swing in Bogo City and neighboring towns in northern Cebu, the areas hardest hit by Tuesday night’s magnitude 6.9 earthquake.

As of 7 AM, 26 deaths and 147 injuries have been officially confirmed. 

However, OCD Officer-in-Charge Assistant Secretary Bernardo Rafaelito Alejandro IV said the numbers are “very fluid” and may rise significantly, with unverified reports suggesting up to 60 possible fatalities.

“The priority now is search and rescue,” Alejandro said during a press briefing at Camp Aguinaldo. He added that while confirmed data is still coming in, government agencies are already fully mobilized in affected areas.

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is also organizing additional teams to support local responders in the province.

Efforts are underway to restore electricity, which was knocked out in several areas. Communication also remains a challenge, especially in more remote parts of northern Cebu.

“Transport is also an issue,” Alejandro said, noting that travel from Cebu City to Bogo takes around three hours. Despite these difficulties, augmentation teams have already reached the quake-hit areas.

At least 1,000 evacuees are currently being housed in temporary shelters. Many residents are choosing not to return to their homes due to ongoing aftershocks with over 80 have been recorded since the quake hit at 9:59 p.m. Tuesday.

Relief operations have begun, with family food packs and clean water being distributed. Water filtration teams have also been deployed to ensure access to safe drinking water.

Alejandro said many homes were damaged, noting that the they are still collecting full data on the extent of destruction.

With the Bogo District Hospital overwhelmed by the number of injured residents seeking treatment, medical transport teams have been mobilized. Helicopters are on standby for patient evacuation if necessary.

The government has deployed three air assets to assist in rapid damage assessment and to deliver rescue teams to remote mountain communities where residents are reportedly in need of urgent help.

No missing, verifications ongoing

There are no official reports of missing persons yet, though Alejandro said there are accounts of people possibly trapped under debris. 

Assessment teams have been tasked with verifying these reports as quickly as possible.

“We tasked the regional office to send an assessment team and are waiting for results. Regardless sa number, we have already mobilized and pushing resources towards this area,” Alejandro said. 

He also confirmed that the OCD has alerted neighboring countries, including Singapore, in case international assistance is needed. 

“We also asked neighboring countries like Singapore, etc. Na-alert na sila in case we need them,” he said. 

The Inter-Agency Coordinating Cell has been activated to streamline response operations, he added.

“We’re following the principle of the golden window — the first 24 hours are critical for saving lives,” he said.

‘Big One’

Alejandro explained that the earthquake struck during the night, making it more dangerous as it caught many residents indoors and unprepared.

He emphasized the need for continued public education and preparedness, especially in light of the anticipated ‘Big One’ in Metro Manila.

With search and rescue teams still arriving and reports continuing to come in, Alejandro noted that the authorities expect casualty figures and damage assessments to change in the coming hours.

"We hope to complete the full picture within the day," Alejandro said.