The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) reported on Wednesday that at least 379 aftershocks have shaken Cebu following the magnitude 6.9 earthquake that hit Bogo City Tuesday night.
In its 4 a.m. update, the agency said only three of these aftershocks were strong enough to be felt, with magnitudes ranging from 1.4 to 4.8.
PHIVOLCS Director Dr. Teresito Bacolcol, speaking to Unang Balita, reminded the public that more aftershocks should still be expected. “Inaasahan natin na magkakaroon pa ng mga aftershocks in the next few days. Sometimes the aftershocks would last for several weeks,” he explained.
He noted that the frequency and intensity of aftershocks will gradually decline. “Habang tumatagal naman, bumababa ang number ng aftershocks natin, and humihina din yung magnitude,” Bacolcol added.
For safety, Bacolcol urged residents not to re-enter homes or buildings with visible damage unless cleared by professionals. “If there are visible damages sa mga istruktura kung saan sila nakatira, huwag muna silang pumasok,” he stressed, advising them to consult municipal or city engineers first.
The quake struck at 9:59 p.m. Tuesday with a shallow depth of five kilometers. PHIVOLCS initially recorded it at magnitude 6.7 before upgrading it to 6.9.
According to the Office of Civil Defense, at least 26 people have been reported dead and 147 others injured, though authorities said validation of casualty reports is still ongoing. Deputy spokesperson Diego Mariano said, “Situation still being assessed. We’ve been receiving reports of casualties from different sources. However, we still need to validate those reports to provide a clearer picture.”
