The death toll from the powerful magnitude 6.9 earthquake that struck Cebu late Tuesday night, Sept. 30, has risen to 61, according to the Cebu Provincial Risk Reduction and Management Office’s 8 a.m. situational report.
Of the fatalities, 27 were recorded in Bogo City, the quake’s epicenter. Another 22 died in San Remigio town, where a sports gymnasium collapsed during a basketball game.
The remaining casualties were reported in neighboring towns.
A state of calamity has been declared across the province.
The tremor, which occurred at 9:59 p.m., had its epicenter 17 kilometers northeast of Bogo City and a shallow depth of 10 kilometers.
It was tectonic in origin and triggered widespread damage across multiple towns.
Instrumental intensity VI was recorded in Cebu City and Villaba, Leyte, while other areas experienced intensities ranging from IV to V, including parts of Masbate, Sorsogon, Capiz, Biliran, and Davao del Sur.
The quake caused extensive damage to infrastructure, including the collapse of the Archdiocesan Shrine of Santa Rosa De Lima in Daanbantayan, a recognized cultural heritage site.
Roads and bridges in Tabogon, Tuburan, and Daanbantayan became impassable, and eight towns experienced power outages.
Communication lines were disrupted in Daanbantayan, Bogo, and San Remigio.
A landslide was reported along a national highway in Tabuelan, and a structural fire broke out in a supermarket in Consolacion. A concrete wall also collapsed in Asturias.
In response, the Philippine National Police (PNP) mobilized personnel and resources to assist affected communities.
Acting PNP chief Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez, Jr. ordered Central Visayas police units to coordinate with local government units to secure compromised establishments and infrastructure. He assured residents that the PNP would continue providing support, including crowd control, relief assistance, and security.
Local authorities suspended classes in at least 46 areas and work in four municipalities as rapid damage and needs assessments were conducted.
San Remigio and Tabuelan declared a state of calamity, enabling swift access to emergency funds for recovery efforts.
The situation is still unfolding, with authorities closely monitoring developments and coordinating with the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology for updates and aftershock advisories. (Reports from Calvin Cordova, Martin Sadongdong, Aaron Recuenco)
