Bohol quake continues to have an impact in Philippines

Manila: Surreal changes in landscapes such as seas that receded, beaches that became elevated and wider, mountain tops gaped open, some parts of which turned into scenic lakes, all occurred after a 7.2 magnitude earthquake hit central Philippines in mid-October, scientists and sources said.

A beach in Maribojoc, Bohol widened and displaced part of the sea, Lito Pinar, a resident, said in a TV interview.

The sea also receded by one kilometre because a large portion of a beach in Cuasi, Bohol, was elevated as if by an underground force, Dolores Palimares, a resident, observed in a TV interview.

Dead fish were found on widened beaches in Bohol, after the earthquake, said the same TV report.

In general, Bohol gained 500 metres of shoreline due to the 7.2 magnitude earthquake, the strongest that ever occurred in central Philippines, said Renato Solidum, head of the Philippine Institute and Volcanology (Phivolcs).

A mountaintop was cut and its fissure filled up with water in Loon, Bohol, a TV report said, adding that these kinds of phenomenal changes were seen in several other mountains in Bohol.

A small waterfall was formed where a 2.5 metre vertical displacement was seen at the bed of the Cawasan Creek in Calubian, Anonang village, also in Bojol, said Solidum.

When the volcanologists saw all the unusual alterations of beaches, creeks, and mountaintops in Bohol, they were able to theorise the existence of a new fault line, which is now called the North Bohol Fault, said Solidum, adding it is a northeast-southwest trending reverse fault along the western sector of Bohol island.

On October 28 volcanologists managed to identify the New Bohol Fault that stretches six kilometres from New Anonang village in Buenavista, to Napo village, Inabanga. The volcanologists are now trying to find out if the new fault line still extends to the northeast of Inabanga towards Getafe and southwest towards Loon and Maribojoc, said Solidum.

The movement of the New Bohol Fault resulted in the 7.2 magnitude earthquake on October 16. Phivolcs officially announced the existence of the new fault line on October 20. Previously, Phivolcs said the October 16 earthquake’s epicentre was at another place, at Carmen town.

The earthquake killed almost 200 and affected three million residents in central Philippines.

The Philippines is part of Asia-Pacific’s Ring of Fire where earthquakes and volcanic eruptions always occur.