Cebu earthquake aftermath: Rescue efforts still ongoing

Collapsed buildings, widespread power outages, and frantic rescue efforts gripped northern Cebu on Wednesday, a day after a powerful magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck Bogo City and left 60 people dead.

Among the fatalities is a 72-year-old woman in Sogod, Cebu who died after a landslide buried her home.

At least 147 people were injured across northern Cebu, most of them in Bogo City, where 119 residents were treated for quake-related injuries.

Teen rescued after 10-hour ordeal; father still missing

Meanwhile, a 14-year-old boy was pulled alive from the rubble of their collapsed home in Bogo City more than 10 hours after the quake struck.

His father, however, remains missing.

The collapse was triggered after a water tanker fell onto their roof, trapping the pair inside. Heavy equipment and drones are now being used to locate the missing man. 

Other members of the family, including the boy’s grandfather and uncle, escaped unharmed.

Businesses shuttered, infrastructure damaged

Several buildings in Bogo sustained significant structural damage, including a fast-food chain and financial establishments whose walls partially collapsed. 

Most commercial establishments remained closed on Wednesday pending safety inspections. Electricity remains cut off in several northern municipalities as power companies rush to restore service.

While Cebu City itself sustained only minor damage, Mayor Nestor Archival Sr. said engineers have been deployed to inspect buildings with reported cracks. He also announced a coordinated relief drive to support the worst-hit areas.

“Dito sa Cebu it's not much. We have something like 5.9 or 6 plus. So far, wala namang major na nangyari. But right now what we are doing is assessing sa mga buildings,” Archival said.

(Here in Cebu City, the impact is not severe. We experienced something like 5.9 or 6 plus. So far, nothing major has happened. But right now, we are assessing the buildings.)

The city is collecting cash and in-kind donations, with drop-off points set up at City Hall and the city library. 

"Whatever cash we receive from residents, the city government will match,” Archival said, adding that volunteers, doctors, and structural engineers will also be deployed to assist in Bogo and San Remigio. 

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. ordered various government agencies to mobilize and provide immediate aid to communities affected by the earthquake. —VAL, GMA Integrated News