CEBU CITY — The Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB-Regional Office 7 declared an actively expanding sinkhole in Sitio Indilicio, Bogo City, Cebu, a “high-risk ground collapse area” and urged local officials to enforce a 20-meter no-entry buffer zone after field surveys showed the ground opening is still widening as rumbling sounds sounds, expanding cavity are detected. 
In a Geohazard Threat Advisory dated August 24, 2026, MGB-7 Regional Director Al Emil Berador told Bogo City Mayor Maria Cielo Martinez that the sinkhole in Sitio Indilicio, Purok Libog 1, Barangay Guadalupe continues to grow and sits above a water-bearing subsurface cavity.
MGB-7 personnel conducted the assessment on August 22-23 after residents reported a ground depression at around 4:45 a.m. on August 20. The bureau classified it as a cover collapse sinkhole. It now measures roughly 15 by 25 meters — expanding by about 2 meters in just one day between Aug 22 and 23.
Drone and visual surveys showed the collapse formed above a cavity about 15 meters below ground, running in a north-northwest to south-southeast direction.
“The sinkhole is still progressing, with sections of the rim occasionally giving way and collapsing into the cavity below,” the advisory stated. Geologists also reported hearing rumbling sounds during the inspection, a sign of ongoing subsurface collapse.
The nearest house stands just 18 meters from the rim. Affected residents have already been briefed and advised to evacuate pre-emptively during heavy rains.
The concern deepened after MGB-7 found two older sinkholes nearby — 100 meters southwest and 65 meters northeast — both believed to have formed after the 2025 Bogo Bay Fault earthquake.
Their positions on opposite sides of the new sinkhole suggest the area may sit above an interconnected underground cavity system rather than a single isolated collapse.
A ground-penetrating radar survey was done, but clayey soil blocked signals beyond 5 to 6 meters, so the full depth and extent of the cavity could not be confirmed.
MGB-7 recommended a no-entry buffer zone of at least 20 meters from the sinkhole rim, to be expanded if needed; controlled-access zone of 50 meters to keep out onlookers, as crowds could add load and vibration to unstable ground; continuous monitoring and immediate reporting of new cracks or sounds to the Bogo City DRRMO; and pre-emptive evacuation or relocation if the sinkhole expands toward homes, especially during heavy rain or earthquakes.
“The bureau stands ready to provide further technical assistance to the City Government of Bogo,” Berador said. The advisory was prepared by MGB-7 geologists Marajao Arreza and Russyl Bryile Anthony Q. Lanzaderas.
Berador also appealed to the public and social media influencers not to spread unverified claims, exaggerated figures, or manipulated photos and videos of the sinkhole, he said that some online posts have misrepresented the sinkhole’s size, depth, and cause, which can either cause panic or make residents downplay an active hazard.
Residents and content creators were reminded that entry for filming is not allowed while the ground remains unstable. The public was urged to rely only on advisories from MGB-7, Bogo City government, and the CDRRMO. (Photos: DENR-MGB7)
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