More than 7,000 aftershocks have been recorded in Northern Cebu following the destructive magnitude 6.9 earthquake on September 30, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) on Monday.
In its latest advisory at 2:00 p.m., PHIVOLCS reported at least 7,190 aftershocks, of which 1,397 were plotted, meaning their locations were determined, while 31 were felt.
The magnitudes of the aftershocks ranged from 1.0 to 5.0, according to the state volcanologists.
As of the forecast period, the latest aftershock that was felt was a magnitude 3.7 tremor recorded at 6:21 a.m. offshore of Bogo City. It registered Intensity II in Bogo City and Intensity I in Leyte, Leyte, and Talisay, Cebu.
Meanwhile, PHIVOLCS earlier reported the onland extension of the newly named Bogo Bay Fault, which caused the destructive tremor offshore of Northern Cebu. They found the fault in Sitio Looc, Brgy. Nailon Bogo City.
“The team observed fault scarps, open cracks, and small pressure mounds within a 2-meter-wide deformation zone,” PHIVOLCS said in a statement posted on Facebook.
In its initial field mapping, the agency said the Bogo Bay Fault showed about 200 meters of surface rupture, while drone surveys suggest it may extend up to 1.5 kilometers, with signs of right-lateral movement.
PHIVOLCS noted that it is still conducting field verification to determine the full extent of the fault.
Residents are reminded to stay at least 5 meters away from the fault or the edge of the ground deformation zone.
According to the latest situational report of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), the earthquake that struck Northern Cebu has already claimed 72 lives and affected more than 547,000 individuals, or 155,000 families.
The report also tallied 559 injured individuals.
The NDRRMC said that various government agencies are continuing to provide relief to victims of the Cebu earthquake. — Edg Adrian A. Eva