THE number of casualties following the 6.9 magnitude Offshore Northern Cebu Earthquake that struck Central Visayas on September 30 continued to rise, with 72 confirmed dead and 294 injured, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported on Thursday.
In its situation report, the agency said 30 of the 72 fatalities were from Bogo City, 22 from San Remigio, 12 from Madellin, five in Tabogon, two in Sogod, and one in Tabuelan.
As rescuers race against time, a magnitude 5 aftershock occurred on the eve of October 1, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) reported.
Phivolcs said as of 10 a.m. on Thursday, October 2, 2025, it has recorded a total of 2,929 aftershocks, 14 of which were strong enough to be felt.
The earthquake, which generated a few seconds of an Intensity VII strong earth-shaking event near the epicenter in Bogo City and nearby cities and towns in Cebu, was traced to an offshore local fault line. Intensity VII is categorized as ‘Destructive’ on the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) scale and ‘brutally devastating’ on Japan’s JMA scale, which is the highest level.
Other areas, as far as Luzon and Mindanao, experienced Intensity III to VI.
NDRRMC said a total of 47,221 families, or 170,959 persons, were affected in 53 barangays in the Central Visayas region.
Damage
DESTRUCTION caused by the earthquake includes damage to 87 infrastructure, 96 houses totally damaged, and 501 partially damaged.
A total of 85 cities and municipalities were affected, mostly in Central Visayas and 10 in Western Visayas.
Classes and work were suspended in affected areas in Regions 6 and 7 and Negros Island Region, the NDRRMC reported, with a total of 53 cities and towns in Region 7 having been declared under a state of calamity.
The NDRRMC said an earthquake-induced landslide occurred in Tabuelan, and Tobogon, Cebu, while a structural fire was reported in Consolacion, also in Cebu.
In Asturias, a collapsed structure was recorded. In Mandaue, Cebu, an Ammonia Leak was reported to authorities, reportedly originating from San Miguel Corporation’s facility in barangay Tipolo.
On Tuesday, President Marcos inspected the SM Cares Village in barangay Polambato, Bogo City. Built for Typhoon Yolanda survivors, the village built in 2013 with 200 free housing units was among the hardest hit by the earthquake.
A total of eight persons were killed when housing units collapsed, the NDRRMC reported.
The President also inspected the Archdiocesan Shrine of St. Vincent Ferrer, which sustained heavy damage.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Office of the Civil Defense (OCD), and various local governments in the province have started providing relief goods to affected families.
Navy prepares
THE Navy (PN) on Thursday said it is now preparing the transport ship, BRP Dagupan City (LS-551), as part of its humanitarian assistance and disaster response (HADR) efforts.
‘This preparatory action highlights the Navy’s high level of operational readiness and its continuing support to national disaster response operations. BRP Dagupan City is being prepared for deployment,’ the Navy Public Affairs Office chief, Capt. Benjo Negranza, said in a statement.
To further beef up its HADR efforts, Negranza said Naval Forces Central’s medical team is on standby to assist.
Davao sends rescue team
DAVAO City disaster and rescue officials sent off early Thursday a convoy of 13 trucks, personnel and urban search and rescue vehicles for rescue and relief operations in northern Cebu.
The City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office said it dispatched government trucks to Cebu to distribute 5,000 food packs, along with a team of 50 personnel including doctors and psychosocial workers, and seasoned personnel in urban search and rescue.
Among them were personnel of the Urban Search and Rescue (Usar), the Fire Brigade Unit, Emergency Medical Services at Central 911, including the K9 team.
Rudy Encabo, assistant head of CDRRMO, the convoy left at 6:00 am Thursday for a land trip across five Mindanao provinces and the island provinces in the Visayas to reach Bogo City in northern Cebu, where rescue personnel were still entangled in the search for the casualties in the rubbles.
South Cotabato has earlier sent relief goods and Zamboanga City has announced it would also send a convoy of relief and rescue personnel.