Strong quake causes coastal uplift in Bogo village

Local

WHAT used to be seagrass and shallow water now stands dry land.

In Barangay Nailon, Bogo City, the coastline has risen, about a meter higher than before, following the magnitude 6.9 earthquake that struck northern Cebu on September 30.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) confirmed the coastal uplift, attributing it to the movement of the Bogo Bay Fault that generated the powerful offshore earthquake.

In its report, Phivolcs said the uplift, approximately one meter in height, was evident from exposed tidal flats, raised tidal notches, and higher high-tide markers observed along the coast.

It added that the dried-up seagrass indicates the area was previously underwater, while the raised notches show the coastline’s uplift during the tremor.

Phivolcs also observed a difference in the height of high-tide markers recorded before and after the earthquake.

“The movement of the Bogo Bay Fault resulted in the coastal uplift in Barangay Nailon, Bogo City. The uplift is approximately one meter based on the exposed tidal flats, raised tidal notches, and higher high-tide markers,” the agency said.

The fault movement produced the 6.9-magnitude offshore earthquake on the evening of September 30, which left 72 individuals dead and over 550 others injured, based on the latest report from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC).

The quake affected nearly 166,000 families or over 611,000 individuals, displacing 23,562 families, with several losing their homes.

As of 8 a.m. on Oct. 7, Phivolcs recorded 8,253 aftershocks ranging from magnitude 1.0 to 5.1 in northern Cebu. Of these, 1,539 were plotted or recorded, and 34 were felt by residents.(MyTVCebu)