When an earthquake strikes, we often think first of damaged houses, fallen buildings, and frightened people. The recent earthquakes in Cebu and Davao Oriental have caused considerable loss of lives and damage to properties. But beyond the visible destruction, the environment also suffers, sometimes in ways that take years to recover.
Earthquakes can change the shape of the land itself. The ground may crack open, sink, or rise. Hillsides can collapse, blocking rivers or burying farmlands. Earthquakes can alter the flow of groundwater, streams, and rivers, affecting water availability for plants and animals. Groundwater wells can become damaged, leading to water shortages for human and animal populations. In some places, new springs appear while old ones dry up.
After a recent quake, new springs were observed in northern Cebu. Experts say this is because earthquakes can fracture limestone bedrock, creating new pathways for groundwater to flow out as springs. However, they also warn water from these new springs may be unsafe without testing since water quality can be compromised.
Following the Bohol-Cebu-Mindanao magnitude 7.2 quake on October 15, 2013, the Maputi Spring, a major spring supplying practically the entire municipality of Rosario with drinking water, dried up leaving thousands of people without water.
If an earthquake happens under the sea, it can trigger tsunamis. The 1976 Moro Gulf earthquake generated one of the deadliest tsunamis in Philippine history, killing an estimated 5,000 to 8,000 people. Aside from destroying homes, these waves can wipe out mangroves, coral reefs, and marine life. Coastal ecosystems that once protected communities are often left in ruins.
Landslides are another common result, especially in hilly areas. They can bury forests, block roads, and make the soil loose and prone to erosion. Sinkholes can also appear after earthquakes because the ground shaking destabilizes the soil and underground structures, especially in areas with loose, water-saturated, or limestone-rich ground. The Mines and Geosciences Bureau in Central Visayas (MGB-7) has discovered and verified a total of 64 sinkholes after the recent earthquakes in Cebu.
Earthquakes can also cause ecosystem and habitat damage. The Bohol Earthquake in 2013 caused coastal uplifts in some areas, especially in places like Maribojoc and Loon. This uplift. exposed intertidal zones (reefs, sandflats, mudflats) that were previously underwater. Marine organisms in those exposed reef areas died because they could no longer be submerged enough to survive. The loss included around 148 hectares of reef slope corals and close to 135 hectares of seagrass beds in affected coastal intertidal areas.
Earthquake can disrupt food by damaging or destroying habitats and killing or displacing organisms. This can lead to a reduction in biodiversity and an increase in competition for resources.
Sometimes, secondary damage follows. Fires or chemical leaks may occur when power lines, fuel and chemical storage areas and factories are damaged. These can pollute the air, soil, and water quality, leading to long-term environmental impacts.
Nature has a way of healing, but recovery takes time. Earthquakes remind us that while we cannot stop the ground from moving, we can take steps to protect both people and the environment.