Cebu earthquake death toll increased to 72 —OCD

The reported death toll in the 6.9-magnitude earthquake in Bogo City, Cebu on September 30 has reached 72, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) said on Monday. 

“As of this morning, nasa 72 ang ating numero diyan sa mga [fatalities]. At sa sugatan, 559 ang reported sa atin. Wala pong reported missing sa atin,” OCD officer-in-charge Assistant Secretary Bernardo Rafaelito Alejandro IV told GMA Integrated News’ Unang Balita in an interview. 

(As of this morning, our number of fatalities is 72. And as for the wounded, 559 have been reported to us. We have no reported missing.)

“Nasa early recovery stage na tayo, clearing, and of course, 'yung pag-aayos ng mga nasirang mga facilities po,” Alejandro added. 

(We are in the early recovery stage, clearing, and of course, repairing damaged facilities.)

In its 6 a.m. report, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDDRMC) said 547,394 people or 155,094 families were affected in Central Visayas.

Around 1,251 people or 405 families were staying in evacuation centers while around 17,661 individuals or 7,357 families were taking shelter in other places amid the ongoing aftershocks. 

Incidents of landslide, structural fire, collapsed structure, and chemical leak were reported due to the earthquake.

A total of 35,925 houses were damaged—32,123 partially and 3,802 totally. A total of 733 infrastructures were also damaged.

Alejandro said tent cities are being set up for the temporary shelters of affected residents. 

Some damaged houses are being repaired.

Four of the eight affected roads and eight of 16 affected bridges were still impassable, according to the NDRRMC.

Power interruptions were still encountered in 48 of the 91 affected areas. Water supply problems were still reported in two of the eight affected areas. Also, communication line issues were still experienced in 10 of the 17 affected areas.

A total of 214 passengers were stranded as two of the three affected seaports remained non-operational due to the earthquake.

Classes in 115 areas and work schedules in 29 areas have been suspended. 

A state of calamity was declared in the entire province of Cebu.

Assistance worth P94 million has been provided so far to the earthquake victims, according to the OCD official.

Meanwhile, a total of 7,027 aftershocks have been recorded following the magnitude 6.9 earthquake in Bogo City, Cebu last September 30, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) said Monday.  

In its 8 a.m. update, PHIVOLCS said 31 of these aftershocks were felt with strength of up to magnitude 5.1.

PHIVOLCS said that the frequency or number of aftershocks per day is now decreasing. —KG, GMA Integrated News