A 6.9 magnitude earthquake shook Cebu and its neighboring provinces on Tuesday night, claiming the lives of some 60 people and causing serious damage to roads and bridges.

Hours after the earthquake, Taal Volcano erupted in Batangas, belching ash plumes up to 2,500 meters high that drifted northwest. But government volcanologists kept the alert level at its lowest, saying the volcano was not in a critical state. 

The eruption occurred shortly after midnight and ended around 2:15 a.m. on Wednesday. Authorities issued a public reminder that sudden steam-driven (phreatic) eruptions, volcanic earthquakes, ashfall, and toxic gas emissions remain possible.

As of 12 noon on Oct. 1, the confirmed death toll in Cebu had reached 58 and those injured numbered 175. Thirty of the fatalities were in Bogo City, the epicenter of the quake, according to the Cebu Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO).

Most of those killed were trapped under their collapsed homes.

In San Remigio town, disaster response officials recorded 11 dead, including three members of the Philippine Coast Guard, another of the Bureau of Fire Protection, and one referee, who were inside a sports complex that collapsed during the quake. The two agencies were reportedly holding a basketball tournament at that time.

Ten and five fatalities were reported in the towns of Medellin and Tabogon, respectively. One death each was reported in the towns of Sogod and Tabuelan.

PDRRMO focal person Dennis Pastor said roads and bridges in northern Cebu suffered cracks or collapsed, making it difficult for rescue teams to reach some affected areas.

State of calamity

In an emergency online session presided over by Vice Gov. Glenn Soco, the provincial board unanimously approved a declaration placing the entire Cebu under a state of calamity.

Soco said in a statement: “This declaration is necessary to give our provincial government the ability to respond quickly and effectively. It allows us to mobilize resources, extend immediate assistance to affected families, and implement rehabilitation measures as we begin our recovery.”

In its own statement, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said the earthquake was tectonic in origin and did not indicate volcanic activity, particularly in the nearest active volcanoes, Biliran and Kanlaon. Still, it said it was monitoring procedures for moderate to major tremors occurring near the volcanoes.

The quake was strong enough to cause widespread destruction, Phivolcs said. It struck 19 kilometers north of Bogo at a depth of 5 km around 9:59 p.m. on Sept. 30 and produced a total of 611 aftershocks as of 7 a.m.

Destructive shaking, Intensity VII, was reported in Cebu and Negros Occidental, as well as in parts of Eastern Visayas. “This level of intensity is significantly felt by most people, driving many outdoors, as buildings are rocked by strong movement and hanging objects swing violently. Infrastructure damage, landslides and rockfalls are expected,” Phivolcs said

It said weak to strong shaking was reported in Negros Occidental, Bohol, Eastern Samar, Northern Samar, Samar, Zamboanga del Norte, Albay, Camarines Sur, Sorsogon, Antique and Capiz.

Centuries-old church

There was an earlier report of the partial collapse of the centuries-old Archdiocesan Shrine of Santa Rosa de Lima, a pilgrimage site in the town center of Daanbantayan.

“It is very sad to see the damage,” a resident identified only as Gie, who works at Cebu Normal University, said in Cebuano.

Gie said the façade of the church built in the 1800s was damaged.

“I felt so sad because Daanbantayan is a community whose people share a strong sense of faith, and our centuries-old church that enshrines our beloved patroness St. Rose of Lima is the center of all our religious practices,” she said. “It is part of our childhood memories.”

Gie’s family members described a harrowing experience. Her sister said the earthquake was “grabe kakusug” (very strong), and that their house seemed to be “dancing and jumping up and down.”

Her elder brother, who lives in Catmon town 80 km from Daanbantayan, said he had to crawl out of his room because he fell down every time he tried to stand. —WITH A REPORT FROM MINERVA GENERALAO