CEBU — It’s been a week since the powerful magnitude-6.9 earthquake rocked northern Cebu — but for thousands of residents, the ground hasn’t stopped shaking, literally and emotionally.
The 30 September quake — one of the strongest ever recorded in the province — struck off the coast of Bogo City at a shallow depth of 10 kilometers. It flattened homes, split roads, and toppled churches and schools.
In San Remigio, a sports complex collapsed as people were taking shelter from the rain, leaving several dead in one of the worst incidents of the disaster.
Authorities have confirmed 72 deaths and 559 injuries, with more than 165,000 families affected. According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), over 39,800 houses were damaged — with some 4,000 beyond repair.
Electricity, water and communication lines were down for days, cutting off entire communities from the outside world.
As of Tuesday, 48 of 91 areas were still experiencing power interruptions, while 10 of 17 towns continued to struggle with communication outages. Two of three seaports remained closed, and one area still faced water supply problems.
Adding to the danger, sinkholes — at least 15 so far — have appeared across San Remigio and nearby towns.
The Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) has launched a post-disaster geo-hazard assessment to locate areas at risk of further ground collapse, flooding, and landslides.
“The movement of the Bogo Bay Fault resulted in a coastal uplift in Barangay Nailon, Bogo City. The uplift was approximately one meter,” Phivolcs reported, citing raised tidal flats and higher high-tide markers as evidence.
Fear and fatigue
Even after more than 8,000 recorded aftershocks — 34 of them felt, ranging from magnitude-1.0 to 5.1 — many residents still refuse to return to their homes.
The fear still lingers among Cebuanos. Nicole Bautista, who lives in Cebu City — far from the quake’s epicenter in Bogo — said the aftershocks continue to rattle nerves.
“There are still aftershocks. Yesterday (6 October), it was shaking again — a lot of times. It’s really scary,” Bautista said. “We still need to be cautious.”
She said that getting in touch with people directly affected by the 6.9-magnitude quake remained difficult due to damaged power and communication lines, echoing reports from the NDRRMC.
“Interviewing people isn’t easy because of the distance, and some areas still don’t have electricity or cellphone signals,” she explained.
Race to rebuild
Governor Pamela Baricuatro has been leading relief missions with the help of the 69th Infantry “Cougar” Battalion, volunteers, and two Black Hawk helicopters, airlifting food, water, and medicine to isolated barangays.
“We are still in emergency mode,” Baricuatro said. “But we are determined to rebuild — not just infrastructure, but hope.”
The province remains under a state of calamity, enabling faster access to funds.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. visited over the weekend and pledged continuing national support.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has set up mobile kitchens, while the Department of Public Works and Highways is assessing the damaged roads and bridges — four of eight roads and 10 of 20 bridges remain impassable.
At UCMed, 35 earthquake victims have been treated, while 85 critical cases were transferred to larger hospitals, including the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center.
Churches have opened their courtyards to evacuees, while volunteers and local groups distribute food packs and blankets under the sun.
For now, Cebu continues to heal — one road cleared, one home rebuilt, and one prayer at a time.