Cebu quake: Situation report as of 8 a.m. October 2
NORTHERN Cebu remains in “red alert status” following a magnitude 6.9 earthquake that struck Cebu at 9:59 p.m. Tuesday, September 30, 2025.
The Provincial Government of Cebu, along with the municipalities of Bogo, Tabuelan, Medellin, and San Remigio, has officially declared a state of calamity due to the extensive damage and casualties.
Situation overview
The earthquake, which originated 21 kilometers northeast of Bogo City, produced widespread shaking recorded across the Visayas and southern Luzon. Instrumental readings confirmed Intensity 6 in Cebu City and Villaba, Leyte.
Instrumental Intensity 5 was recorded in key Cebu locations, including Lapu-Lapu City, Talisay City, Danao City, Argao, and Asturias, as well as in Esperanza, Masbate, and Ormoc City, Leyte.
The quake was felt at Intensity 5 by residents in Lapu-Lapu City, Argao, City of Sipalay (Negros Occidental), and Tacloban City.
The severe shaking resulted in critical damage in the northern corridor, affecting infrastructure in Bogo, San Remigio, Medellin, Tabuelan, and Daanbantayan, including a collapsed port deck slab at Tudela Port.
The combined reported casualties from the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) (October 2, 2025) and local reports paint a grim picture:
Total Affected Families: 95,319
Total Affected Individuals: 380,315
Total Casualties Reported: 12
Total Injured Reported: 394
Municipalities reporting the highest number of injured individuals are Bogo (180 injured, 30 fatalities), San Remigio (86 injured, 15 fatalities), and Medellin (66 injured, 12 fatalities).
A fatality was also reported in Sogod, where a resident was crushed after a cliff and their house collapsed.
Infrastructure and Service Interruption
Power and telecommunications remain severely affected, crippling relief and recovery efforts in many areas.
Power Interruption
Total blackouts are affecting numerous towns, including Asturias, Carmen, Catmon, Daanbantayan, San Remigio, Sogod, Tabuelan, Tuburan, and Medellin (partial blackout). The blackouts are a result of transformer explosions and the tripping of 27 power plants in the Visayas, cutting 1,444.1 MW from the grid. Bogo City reported still having no electricity as of 7:40 AM today.
Telecommunication Disruption
Telecommunication services (internet and mobile network) are down in Daanbantayan, San Remigio, and Sogod, while Bogo City has had its signal restored.
Roads and Bridges
Several vital arteries are damaged or impassable:
Medellin: Bangon Bridge in Poblacion is damaged but passable, while the Bangon and Bangon Bridge on the road to Kawit is not passable.
San Remigio: The Tambusan and Looc bridges are destroyed.
Sogod: Roads are now passable after initial landslides, but a portion of the road from Sogod to Bogo is only passable for light vehicles.
Barili: The Baring River Box Culvert is impassable.
Ports and Shipping
All embarking activities for vessels and watercraft at Hagnaya Port and Polambato Port have been temporarily suspended.
Tudela Port reported a collapsed port deck slab and damaged riprap.
Tabunok Roro port was not operating as of 3 p.m. Wednesday, October 1, 2025.
The Hagutapay Wharf in Puertobello is operating as of 8:15 a.m. Thursday, October 2.
Damage to Buildings and Critical Needs
Damage to private residences, public buildings, and schools is widespread.
Critical Damages
Bogo City: McDonald's collapsed, Bogo Terminal severely damaged, and Bogo City Hall was heavily damaged. An apartment building also collapsed in Yolanda Village.
Cebu Provincial Capitol: Sustained partial damage to the Vice Governor's Office.
Poro: The RHU (Health Center) showed visible structural beam/wall/slab/crack damage.
San Francisco: The Community Service Center and municipal office are deemed unsafe for occupancy.
Class Suspension and Displacement
Class suspension for all levels remains in effect for Thursday, October 2, 2025, across numerous towns, including Cebu City, Mandaue, Lapu-Lapu, Talisay, Danao, Carmen, Bogo City, Medellin, and others.
Individually displaced persons have been reported, with 34 families (134 individuals) in Carmen and 18 families (80 individuals) in Consolacion taking temporary shelter in designated evacuation centers.
Initial Needs
The immediate needs of affected communities are focused on relief goods and emergency supplies:
Medellin: Main concern is the lack of received goods (food items, first aid, hygiene kits).
San Remigio, City of Bogo, Daanbantayan: Many sitios and puroks have not yet received food and water as of the latest report.
Borbon: Issued an urgent call for flashlights/emergency lamps, hygiene kits, potable water, and ready-to-cook food.
Response and Relief Efforts
The PDRRMO is coordinating with Municipal DRRM offices, mobilizing resources, and preparing for tents and mobilization.
Medical Response: Cebu Provincial Hospitals and Bogo City have declared a Code White due to patient surge. The DOH deployed ambulances and an SRR pick-up truck. OCD 7 is providing air transport for patient transfers from Bantayan Island and Bogo City.
Relief and Rescue: The Philippine Coast Guard and DSWD are set to provide 1,000 Ready-To-Eat Food Packs. The Lapu-Lapu DRRM deployed a heavy rescue truck, an ambulance with medical resources, and a water tanker. Red Cross food trucks are actively cooking meals for affected residents in Bogo City.
Damage Assessment: DENR 7/MGB 7 deployed teams of geologists to conduct a post-earthquake damage assessment, focusing on landslides and road cracks, particularly in the Sogod-Tabuelan area.
The Provincial Government has set up a donation center at the Capitol grounds and is loading medical supplies and relief goods for immediate dispatch to Bogo City.
Clearing operations are also underway in various areas to open up critical roads. (CAV)