The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) through the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) identified an estimated 1.5-kilometer ground rupture that triggered the magnitude-6.9 earthquake in Northern Cebu and officially named it the Bogo Bay Fault.
The DOST-Phivolcs through its quick response team (QRT) went to Sitio Looc in Brgy. Nailon, Bogo City—the epicenter of the recent tremor—and found enough evidence to confirm the new information.
“Field evidence of the newly-named Bogo Bay Fault includes open cracks, local pressure mounds, and fault scarps within a deformation zone of around two meters wide,” the state seismic agency said in a Facebook post on Friday.
“The QRT initially mapped approximately 200 meters of ground rupture, but a drone survey has imaged approximately 1.5 kilometers of ground rupture features, indicating a right-lateral fault. Field verification is ongoing to determine its full extent,” DOST-Phivolcs added.
This developed as the state seismic agency reported more aftershocks in Bogo City and nearby areas following the massive earthquake that killed 68 people, injured nearly 300, and displaced thousands across the province.
As of 4:00 p.m. on Friday, October 3, Phivolcs has recorded a total of 4,378 aftershocks with 859 plotted and 21 felt. The magnitudes ranged from 1.0 to 5.1. Relief operations and rehabilitation of damaged buildings continue throughout the affected areas.
“The public is reminded to still be prepared for strong aftershocks and to get information from authorities and verified sources,” Phivolcs advised.
