Less than two months after a magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck on September 30, Cebu is reeling from Typhoon Tino, which made landfall in Borbon town on November 4. The typhoon caused severe flooding and over 120 fatalities province-wide, including 36 in Liloan and 28 in Compostela. Residents describe it as harsher than the 2021 Typhoon Odette.
Joel Patalita, a 50-year-old resident of Barangay Cabadiangan on the Liloan-Compostela border, expressed disbelief at the flooding from Typhoon Tino on November 4. “We did not expect Tino to pour this much water because we were already used to typhoons. During Typhoon Odette, we didn’t have any casualties here,” he told Rappler on November 6. Neighbors lost at least six lives near the Cotcot River, and their food supplies were washed away.
The area faced total blackout and no telecom signal, making nights even darker. This is the situation in isolated communities in Compostela, Liloan, and other towns, still recovering from the magnitude 6.9 earthquake on September 30, whose epicenter was near Bogo City, 27-30 km north of Tino's landfall.
Governor Pamela Baricuatro said on November 5 that “Our responders are maxed out right now,” and requested national government reinforcements. The Cebu Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) had a one-year post-earthquake recovery plan, but is now assessing Tino's damage, which caused over 120 fatalities in the province—more than the 105 from Odette in 2021.
In Talisay City's Barangay Dumlog, Lolita Malto said a flash flood along the Mananga River destroyed over 100 houses, with only nine surviving. “Odette was still manageable since the water was still at half. This time, the water’s strength was five times that,” she said. In Compostela's Barangay Cabadiangan, Jassie Malacad noted flooding from the Cotcot and Lusaran rivers caused landslides and debris, blocking access. “If they do get back on their feet, it will take a really long time,” she said. The Visayan Electric Company reported ongoing power restoration in towns like Consolacion and Liloan as of November 6.