Cebu quake chaos: Mall employees trapped, motorists cling to bridge for life

• Mall employees were trapped in Cebu City buildings as debris crashed down during the magnitude 6.9 earthquake

• Dramatic video showed motorcyclists clinging to bridge railings between Cebu and Mandaue City to avoid being thrown off

• The quake, centered near Bogo City, was felt strongly across the Visayas and parts of Luzon and Mindanao

• 379 aftershocks were recorded by PHIVOLCS, with the strongest measuring magnitude 4.8, highlighting the continued danger

The magnitude 6.9 earthquake that rocked the Visayas region late Tuesday night, with its epicenter near Bogo City, triggered scenes of terror and chaos across Cebu and beyond.

Dramatic video footage and first-hand accounts paint a harrowing picture of employees trapped in high-rise buildings, panicked residents fleeing collapsing debris, and infrastructure buckling under the immense force of the tremor.

The official death toll from the devastating event has now climbed to at least 63 people.

In Cebu City, the shaking was so intense that several commercial and high-rise structures saw significant damage.

One chilling video captured the desperate moments of employees trapped inside a mall, with the sounds of prayers mixing with the roar of falling debris.

An employee, reportedly on the fourth floor, was filmed sheltering beneath a counter, crying out, "Lord please, send some help, Lord," as large chunks of concrete and metal beams crashed from the ceiling around them. The quake also plunged the area into darkness as power supplies failed.

In another alarming incident, employees were stranded high up on the 16th floor of an office building in the city, with the loss of electricity amplifying the sense of danger and isolation during the powerful shaking.

Outside the structures, fear gripped residents. In Barangay Sawang Calero, people poured out into the streets, seeking open ground as buildings violently swayed.

Screams and shouts erupted in the busy Colon Street night market as vendors and shoppers scrambled for safety.

Perhaps the most visceral demonstration of the quake's power was captured on a bridge connecting Cebu City and Mandaue City.

Video evidence showed motorcyclists nearly being thrown off their bikes by the lateral movement of the bridge.

In a desperate attempt to stay put, some riders were forced to abandon their motorcycles and clutch onto the bridge's railings for dear life, alongside pedestrians who were similarly holding fast to the structure.

While the tremors were most destructive in northern Cebu, particularly the epicenter near Bogo City, the shockwaves were felt across the entire Visayas archipelago.

In Iloilo, a striking video recorded water violently sloshing and cascading from the rooftop pool of a building. The intense shaking also reached parts of Southern Luzon and Mindanao.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) reported that the quake, whose epicenter was in Bogo City, has been followed by a large number of aftershocks.

As of 9 a.m. on October 1, the agency had recorded 379 aftershocks, with the strongest measuring magnitude 4.8. PHIVOLCS officials are strongly advising the public to remain vigilant and to steer clear of structures and houses that have sustained visible cracks or damage, as aftershocks could continue to pose a threat.

The earthquake has also caused severe structural damage to historical and religious landmarks, including churches in Bogo City and Daanbantayan, underscoring the widespread impact of the disaster.

News, photos, or videos that arouse the interest of netizens would often go viral on social media, due to the attention netizens give them. These viral posts appeal to the emotions of netizens, and in rare cases, this could also happen to ordinary people, making them very relatable stories for all of the ordinary people in the country as today.

In related news, PHIVOLCS identified the source of the recent magnitude 6.9 Cebu earthquake as an offshore fault. The fault had been seismically dormant for at least 400 years, leading to a greater accumulation of destructive energy. The earthquake's epicenter was shallow, contributing to the Intensity VII shaking and the high casualty count of nearly 70. Cebu lies in a seismically active region with multiple known and unnamed fault systems capable of generating strong tremors.

In other news, CCTV footage revealed a fake holdup inside a Quezon City grocery, where suspects staged an armed robbery involving a cashier. Police later confirmed it was an inside job, with the 21-year-old cashier identified as the alleged mastermind. Four suspects were arrested, including a 23-year-old, a 20-year-old lookout, and a 17-year-old minor; authorities recovered a replica gun and P13,200. All suspects admitted guilt, claiming financial hardship drove them to commit the crime; they now face robbery charges and other violations.

Source: KAMI.com.gh