Two days after a magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck her hometown in the central Philippines, Arguel Estalicas says she still feels dizzy every time she stands up.
That spinning sensation, coupled with a series of aftershocks, has left the 35-year-old tourism officer and many other survivors too terrified to return home, forcing them into temporary shelters.
The earthquake, which hit the northern coast of Cebu on the night of September 30, resulted in at least 68 fatalities and over 500 injuries, as buildings and homes collapsed and roads cracked.
I still couldn't process what has happened to us, Ms. Estalicas said, overwhelmed by the events of the past days. As a resident of Medellin town, near the quake's epicenter, she and nearly 80,000 others are now displaced.
On that fateful night, she fled her house with her family and spent the night under the open sky, using plastic bags for shelter against the light rain.
Nearby, Lourenze Pareja, another survivor, shared his harrowing experience from the evening of the quake, describing how he livestreamed the chaos as neighbors fled their homes. His community, now unrecognizable, turned into a ghost town.
Despite being located on the unstable 'Ring of Fire', the Philippines has faced more intense natural disasters in recent years. The recent earthquake echoes the devastation from previous calamities, including Super Typhoon Haiyan, which struck in 2013.
Rescue operations are ongoing, with authorities attempting to deliver food, clear debris, and restore order amidst the chaos. Basic necessities remain in high demand as residents search for clean water and food.
Relief efforts are further complicated by the region's simultaneous fury of typhoons, which left many areas flooded just days before the earthquake.
Hope remains as communities unite in their time of need, echoing their cultural belief in bayanihan, or communal solidarity, as they navigate the recovery process together.
