The total number of reported deaths due to the strong Cebu earthquake increased to 72 on the second day of the temblor’s aftermath. The second day also saw the termination of search and rescue (SAR) operations, prompting authorities to shift its focus to relief and rehabilitation as residents complain of food and water shortage.
All of the fatalities as well as the 294 reported injuries are recorded in the Central Visayas region, while no missing have been recorded, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.
Due to the absence of reported missing individuals from local government units (LGUs), OCD spokesperson Junie Castillo said they are presumed as ‘accounted for.’
Search teams demobilized
Some private rescue teams are even informed of possible demobilization ‘unless they want to continue helping with relief or debris clearing’ due to lack of reported missing individuals, Castillo said.
OCD deputy administration Rafael Alejandro IV said authorities were scrambling to conduct its search and rescue within the first 24 hours after the earthquake, which occurred at 9:59 p.m on Tuesday.
Bogo City, the epicenter of the earthquake, bore the brunt of the temblor, with almost half of the total number fatalities-or around 30-being recorded from the area.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. went to this quake-stricken city to hold a situational briefing for the earthquake which damaged several heritage churches, billions worth of roads and bridges, hundreds of residential houses and hundreds of classrooms, while causing widespread power outages in the province.
During the briefing, an OCD official reported to Marcos that 597 damaged houses were damaged, with 501 tagged as ‘partially damaged’ and 96 deemed as ‘totally damaged.’
There are still nine impassable roads, five affected bridges, with 10 LGUs experiencing power interruptions, including three LGUs still experiencing telecommunication interruptions, according to the same OCD official.
The same OCD official also told Marcos that the SAR operations have already been terminated.
‘We need food’, ‘We need water’
Nevertheless, aftershocks still remain, which state seismologists said reached a total of 3,081 as of 5:00 p.m., compelling residents to sleep outside.
In Medellin town in northern Cebu, the lack of camping tents, and proper evacuation area left residents still apprehensive of aftershocks to sleep inside plastic bags to protect them from the rain.
Children carrying cardboards begging for food and drinking water were also spotted along the highway in Medellin town.
Residents in Tabuelan town were also reporting lack of food and drinking water, with some children carrying signs saying ‘WE NEED FOOD’ and ‘WE NEED WATER,’ as reported by Cebu Daily News.
Marcos said the government will provide tents with stations for relief goods, waters, and generator sets to 65,000 displaced families in the entire Cebu province.
Marcos seeks emergency funds
During the same briefing, the president also announced over P200 million aid package ‘donation’ for areas affected by the deadly Cebu province earthquake.
Marcos said P50 million will be for the Cebu provincial government, P20 million each for local government unit of Bogo City and towns of San Remigio and Sogod; P10 million each for municipalities of Medellin, Bantayan, Daanbantayan, Madridejos, Santa Fe, Tabogon, and Tabuelan.
Meanwhile, Marcos also said Department of Health-owned hospitals will receive P20 million and P5 million each for LGU-run hospitals affected by the earthquake.
The President also ordered the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to release a government support fund worth P150 million for Cebu and P75 million for San Remigio, Bogo, and Medellin.
‘This is only an initial release; we are contemplating further releases that will be in the pipeline,’ he said of the fund from the DBM.
Marcos also said he will be going to the House and the Senate to ask for allocation of emergency funds to replenish the government’s Quick Response Fund (QRF).
‘We will have it released as quickly as possible,’ Marcos said.
The QRF is a built-in standby fund for agencies that, once depleted, receives replenishment through the approval of the President or the DBM.