Bogo city: The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) has advised the public to avoid constructing any structures on or within five meters from both sides of the newly discovered Bogo Bay Fault in Bogo City, Cebu. This announcement comes in light of safety concerns following the recent discovery of the fault.

According to Philippines News Agency, Phivolcs Director Teresito Bacolcol highlighted that the fault, which was responsible for the September 30 magnitude 6.9 offshore earthquake in Cebu, extends on land through Sitio Looc, Barangay Nailon, Bogo City. Bacolcol emphasized the importance of keeping residential structures away from any active faults across the country, citing safety reasons.

Phivolcs has established a five-meter buffer zone on both sides of the fault, which spans approximately six kilometers on land. The fault was identified on October 3, and field verification efforts are still underway. Bacolcol urged local government units to incorporate the forthcoming field mapping results into their land use planning and preparedness strategies, integrating the fault's presence and location into their comprehensive land use plans.

In the aftermath of the earthquake, Phivolcs has recorded a total of 7,190 aftershocks. The magnitudes of these aftershocks have ranged from 1 to 5.1, with at least 31 being felt and 1,397 being plotted or located. Bacolcol clarified that the occurrence of aftershocks is normal and may continue for several weeks or months. He advised residents to seek professional assessments of their homes to ensure they can withstand an intensity VIII earthquake.