Authorities have ended search and rescue operations in northern Cebu after confirming that no residents remain missing following the magnitude 6.9 earthquake that struck Bogo City and nearby towns on Tuesday night.
Office of Civil Defense (OCD) spokesperson Junie Castillo said Thursday that local governments reported no unaccounted residents during a morning briefing at the Incident Command Post.
‘As of today, there are no reported missing, even from the LGUs. The assumption is all are accounted for,’ Castillo said in a phone interview.
‘Some private rescue teams have already been told they may demobilize unless they want to continue helping with relief or debris clearing,’ he added.
PNP Public Information Office chief Brig. Gen. Randulf Tuano said search-and-retrieval operations were officially terminated on Wednesday night after authorities accounted for all missing persons.
He added that deployed officers’ concentration is now on ‘relief and rehabilitation operations.’
The OCD said the official death toll has risen to 72, up from 69 the previous night. At least 30 of the fatalities were in Bogo City, the hardest-hit area.
The Philippine National Police (PNP) confirmed the development in a press briefing in Quezon City on Thursday.
Aftershocks
Castillo said aftershocks remain a major concern, preventing many residents from returning indoors, even if their homes are found to be structurally safe.
‘Even if their houses were not damaged, people are still afraid to go back inside because of the frequent tremors,’ he said.
‘It is traumatic for survivors who already experienced the quake,’ he added.
Instead of staying in evacuation centers, thousands have sought refuge in open areas away from falling debris.
The OCD reported 4,000 families, or about 20,000 people, remain displaced as of Thursday morning.
Clearing operations continue
Castillo said that road-clearing efforts have made most major routes in northern Cebu passable, although some local roads and damaged structures will take more time to clear.
‘Vehicles can now reach Bogo from Cebu City. The priority now is debris clearing in critical facilities and relief for affected families,’ he said.
Government agencies, including the Department of Social Welfare and Development and the Department of Public Works and Highways, are coordinating with local governments for continued relief distribution and shelter support.
‘The focus has now shifted fully to relief, rehabilitation, and supporting displaced communities,’ Castillo said.