Magnitude 5.8 aftershock worsens damage in Cebu

The magnitude 5.8 aftershock that jolted Bogo City, Cebu early Monday has worsened the damage in several towns that were previously affected by the magnitude 6.9 earthquake last Sept. 30. 

According to the report of GMA Regional TV’s Fe Mari Dumaboc in “24 Oras,” the cemented road underneath the front of Hagnaya Integrated School in San Remigio cracked open following the aftershock. 

Town officials said a sinkhole had already appeared underneath the road due to the magnitude 6.9 earthquake. However, only a large crack was visible on the road itself.

In Bogo City, several individuals were brought to the hospital due to the aftershock: three individuals experienced chest pain, three were wounded, one had an asthma attack due to trauma, and one got into an accident while riding a motorcycle amid the tremor. 

“Tatlo lacerated, ‘yung isa sa may mata daw, kasi naano sa glass, nahulugan, meron din nadisgrasya ng motor, isa lang nung paglindol,” said Bogo CDRRM officer Rex Leoben Ygot. 

(Three had lacerations, one supposedly near the eye because of glass, [something] fell on them. There was also one who had a motor accident, just one during the aftershock.) 

Several houses in Bogo City, which initially sustained cracks from the Sept. 30 earthquake, ended up collapsing due to the aftershock on early Monday morning.

No one was reported wounded as the houses were already abandoned. 

More than 200 houses can no longer be returned to because they are within the declared no-build zone in five barangays, as they are located on a fault.

Several individuals were evacuated earlier following the aftershock. 

“Yung na-identify sa Bogo Bay Fault line, pero yung dito sa upland barangay, meron din kasing nakita dun na malaking bitak ng lupa. Posible ang rain-induced landslide, talagang delikado po talaga yung area nila,” said Ygot. 

(The one identified is the Bogo Bay Fault line, but here in the upland village, there was also a huge ground fissure seen there. Rain-induced landslides are possible, their area is truly very dangerous.) 

In Cebu City, employees from high-rise buildings immediately went outside upon sensing the strong aftershock. — Vince Angelo Ferreras/JMA, GMA Integrated News