Large sections of this city were plunged into darkness Tuesday night after a strong earthquake struck near Bogo City, Cebu, prompting unscheduled power interruptions across several districts.
In an advisory, distribution utility MORE Electric and Power Corp. (MORE Power) said power went out at 10:01 p.m. on September 30, affecting the entire Molo Substation, Megaworld Feeder 6, and La Paz Feeders 1 and 3. Restoration work is ongoing as crews trace the cause of the outages as of 11:09 p.m.
The company apologized for the inconvenience and urged residents to remain safe as it works to restore electricity ‘as soon as possible.’
The blackout followed a magnitude 6.7 earthquake that jolted Cebu at 9:59 p.m., with its epicenter traced 17 kilometers northeast of Bogo City at a depth of 10 kilometers, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs).
Phivolcs reported instrumental intensity VI in Cebu City and Villaba, Leyte; intensity III in San Fernando, Cebu; and intensity II in Laoang, Northern Samar. The tremor was also felt in parts of Iloilo.
As of press time, no major damage or casualties have been reported, though local governments in affected areas are conducting inspections.
Authorities reminded residents to brace for possible aftershocks