A powerful 7.2 magnitude earthquake rattled Visayas and Mindanao on October 15, Tuesday, which killed at least 80 people.
The quake was recorded at 8:12 a.m., 2 km southeast of Carmen town in Bohol, 33 kilometers below the earth.
Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology chief Renato Solidum likened the force of the earthquake to 32 Hiroshima bombs.
Intensity VII was felt in Tagbilaran City; Intensity VI in Hinigaran, Negros Occidental, Mactan in Cebu, as well as Cebu, City Dumaguete and Mandaue City; Intensity V in Iloilo, Ozamis, Cagayan de Oro, and La Carlota cities, Guimaras Island, Abuyog town in Leyte, Sibulan town in Negros Occidental, and Gingoog town in Misamis Oriental.
Meanwhile, Intensity IV was felt in Roxas, Masbate, Dipolog, Bacolod, Bayawan, Butuan and Tacloban cities; Bulusan town in Sorsogon; Hinunangan in Leyte; Patnungon in Antique; Tabon in Leyte; Baybay in Southern Leyte; San Pablo in Leyte; Bato, Leyte; San Jose, Antique; and Guihulngan, Negros Oriental.
Intensity III was felt in Davao, Canlaon, Cotabato, Zamboanga, Surigao and Borongan Cities; as well as La Costellana town in Negros Occidental; Bukidnon Province; Tarragona town in Davao; Laoan in Antique; Banisilan, North Cotabato; and the towns of Potongan, Polanco, Labason, and Manukan, all in Zamboanga del Norte.
It was felt at Intensity II in Tacurong City; Nabas and Libertad towns in Aklan; as well as Carrascal, Surigao del Sur, and at Intensity I in Lezo town in Aklan.
A 7.0 magnitude quake is considered “destructive” by Phivolcs. “People are panicky. People find it difficult to stand even outdoors.”
“Liquefaction and lateral spreading cause man-made structures to sink, tilt or topple. Numerous landslides and rockfalls occur in mountainous and hilly areas.”
The quake was located inland and a tsunami was not anticipated.
The provinces of Bohol and Cebu were badly hit that they were placed under state of calamity later in the day.
The earthquake also destroyed famous tourism spots, including the centuries-old churches of Baclayon and Loboc. These churches go way back during Spanish times.
In Bohol province alone, there were 77 killed based on police reports. A separate report from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said there were 57 killed in Bohol, nine in Cebu and one in Siquijor.
Casualties might continue to increase, the NDRRMC said.
The earthquake shut down power lines in the provinces of Bohol, Iloilo, Cadiz City in Negros Occidental and some areas of Caraga region.
Nearly half a million people were affected in Bohol. Cebu and Siquijor because of the quake, according to the Department of Social Welfare and Development.
Roads, bridges and infrastructures were widely damaged by the temblor. It also temporarily cancelled domestic flights to Cebu and Bohol.
Several passengers were stranded in the port of Tagbilaran.
President Benigno Aquino III and some of his cabinet members will fly to Cebu and Bohol on Wednesday to oversee the relief operations and personally check the damages there.
For tips on what to do before, during, and after earthquakes, SecurityMatters prepared an infographics derived from the Phivolcs: know what to do in an event of an earthquake.
