Survivors Recall Narrow Escapes as Death Toll Rises to 69: Cebu Earthquake

CEBU, Philippines, Oct 1 (VoM):   For many in the central Philippine province of Cebu, survival during Tuesday night’s powerful earthquake was a matter of seconds and circumstance. The 6.9-magnitude tremor, which struck at around 10pm, lasted barely half a minute but left widespread destruction and at least 69 dead.

Near the epicenter in Bogo City, Richard Guion, 39, and his wife were trapped when their house collapsed. A concrete wall pinned them down, but their 17-year-old son, who had ignored his father’s call to go to bed and stepped outside to use his phone, managed to dig them out. “I’m glad he didn’t listen to me,” Guion said.

Not all were so fortunate. In Medellin town, farmer Junrey Agbones survived because he was outdoors, but his teenage daughter, who stayed inside their house, was killed when it collapsed.

In Sogod town, a landslide swallowed a roadside house, killing 72-year-old Judith Comendador. Her dog, still on its leash, was seen frantically circling the site in footage shared on social media.

Elsewhere, victims included a firefighter and three coast guard personnel in San Remigio town, who died when a sports complex where they were playing basketball crumbled.

The earthquake fractured highways, razed churches, collapsed malls, and sparked fires across the province. On Bantayan Island, the belfry of a centuries-old Catholic church collapsed in front of shocked residents. Video also captured the Mactan-Mandaue bridge swaying dangerously, forcing motorists to cling to railings in fear.

In Cebu City, a beauty pageant was cut short as chandeliers shook and contestants scrambled for safety. Fast-food outlets, including McDonald’s and Jollibee, suffered major damage, while shoppers at a mall narrowly escaped falling debris.

By Wednesday morning, the scale of loss was becoming clear. At Cebu Provincial Hospital in Bogo City, dozens of body bags lined the pavement under heavy rain, while grieving relatives waited to claim their loved ones.

One father rushed from Cebu City to find his house crushed in a landslide. He lost two children but found his wife alive with serious injuries.

For some survivors, the devastation has left them with nothing. “We survived, but we lost everything we had our business, our vehicles, our animals,” said Mary Rose Pepito Lauron, whose home was destroyed by falling rocks. “What are we going to do now?”

As aftershocks continue, officials fear the death toll could climb higher. Rescue operations are still underway in several towns, with emergency teams racing against time to reach those who may still be trapped under the rubble.