Western Visayas Historic Event: Lady Caycay Earthquake

 

The iconic Jaro Belfry was severely damaged during the 1948 Lady Caycay Earthquake

The 1948 Lady Caycay earthquake was a magnitude 7.8 tremor that struck Panay Island, Philippines, and is considered the second-biggest earthquake in the country's recorded history. The event caused widespread devastation, particularly in Iloilo and Antique, and even triggered a small tsunami. It made a significant impact and effects in the entire Panay Island claiming lives and destroying properties. 

The name "Lady Caycay" comes from the local Hiligaynon and Kinaray-a term caycay, which describes the scratch marks made by chickens. Residents used this term to describe the ground fissures that appeared after the earthquake, especially in the low-lying parts of Iloilo province.

The main shock occurred at 1:46 a.m. PST on January 25, 1948, lasting for up to three minutes. The three-minute shaking causes 55 Spanish period churches to be battered and severely damaged while 17 structures were totally collapsed.

The epicenter was located on the West Panay Fault, near the municipalities of Anini-y and Dao (now Tobias Fornier) in Antique province. The earthquake was caused by the movement of this active fault line. The location of West Panay Fault passes the towns of San Joaquin, Miag-ao, Igbaras, Tubungan, Leon, Alimodian, Janiuay, Lambunao, Tapaz, Jamindan, Sibalom, San Remigio, Valderrama, Libacao, Madalag, Malinao and Pandan.

Early reports approximate the magnitude at 8.2 Ms, but more recently the estimates place the event magnitude at 7.8 Mw. The maximum intensity reached an "Extreme" X on the Mercalli Intensity Scale and a "Devastating" IX on the PEIS (PHIVOLCS Earthquake Intensity Scale).

The main tremor was followed by a series of major aftershocks for nearly a month.

The strong shaking created fissures in the ground up to four meters wide, with some on the coastlines filling with seawater. Landslides, sand blows, and the emergence of a new brook in the town of Cabatuan in Iloilo are just some of aftermaths of that strong earthquake.

A minor tsunami with waves soaring up to two meters high seen along the Iloilo Strait claimed two lives and damaging structures along the coastline. 

The impact of the Lady Caycay earthquake was strongly felt in the provinces of Aklan, Antique, Capiz and Iloilo sustaining severe damages and destroying or heavily damage many bridges, telecommunication lines as well as public and private structures.

A lot of heritage churches during the Spanish period were either heavily damaged or collapsed including:

- The Jaro Metropolitan Cathedral's five-story belfry collapsed to the ground.

- The elegant Gothic-Neoclassical Byzantine Ottoman influenced Oton church was severely damaged and eventually demolished.

- Some belfries in places like the town of San Joaquin and Iloilo City district of Arevalo was also toppled to the ground.

- The UNESCO World Heritage site, the Miag-ao church whose sturdy buttresed walls withstood the tremors was only one of the few exceptions.

A magnitude 8.2 earthquake, referred to locally as the "Lady Caycay earthquake," struck southwest of Panay Island on January 25, 1948, at 1:46 am Philippine Time.  The aforementioned second-strongest earthquake in Philippine history had the greatest effects on the province of Iloilo and other parts of the island.  The old Oton Church had to be dismantled because it was so badly damaged.  Jaro Cathedral's five-story belfry also fell.  The magnificent Oton church, one of the most exquisite buildings on Panay Island and part of the Spanish architectural legacy in the Philippines, sustained some damage.

The majority of the major damage discovered during the inquiry was in the province of Iloilo, notably in churches that still stand from the Spanish era.  In general, there was significant damage to public and private buildings, bridges, and communication cables.

Along the Iloilo Strait, a 6.5-foot (2-meter) tsunami was reported to have struck the coastlines of Guimaras and Southern Iloilo.  Two people were killed in the incident.

The islands of Negros, Guimaras, and Panay had strong intensity. 

Sources:

#ThrowbackEarthquakeInfo by Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS-DOST) Official Facebook Page, dated January 25, 2024 -https://www.facebook.com/PHIVOLCS/posts/pfbid02xtLt8xPQFbV9cxuBKqGCneWPe4DuXDYHUjFnjjP1xyLSH1FBF17PWtowuvtHM4mol

Iloilo City Government Official Facebook Page post, dated April 2, 2025 - https://www.facebook.com/iloilocitygov/photos/dyk-on-january-25-1948-a-magnitude-82-earthquake-which-local-folks-dubbed-the-la/1068944321934908/

The Great Fire of Iloilo

The TALE OF TWO CITIES - London and Iloilo, 300 Years Apart

What happened in London in 1666 called The Great Fire of London also took place 300 years later in Iloilo City called The Great Fire of Iloilo

This article taken from The Chronicle Magazine last March 5, 1966, details the unfortunate event. 

QUEEN CITY OF THE SOUTH RAZED BY BIG FIRE

The Chronicle Magazine

March 5, 1966

₱50 million loss: Twelve blocks of commercial, and residential establishments in Iloilo gutted by fire.

The morning of Feb. 7, 1966, was just like any other rooming as far as Iloilo City residents were concerned. Little did they know that a few hours later—shortly after lunchtime—their city would be hit by a big fire, the worst in the history of Iloilo province. For it was at 1:31 p.m. on that fateful day when fire broke out from a lumberyard on Iznart Street and spread swiftly to Quezon and Valeria streets. Fanned by a strong wind, the blaze had an easy time gutting at least 12 blocks of commercial and residential establishments along Texas Street on the North side, Rizal Street on the South, Jalandoni Street on the West, and Arroyo Street on the East.

The fire lasted approximately 12 hours and 50 million pesos worth of property went up in smoke. Among those destroyed by the blaze were the Ledesma-Lopez building, the Akol building, the International Harvester Branch in that city, the offices of the Sugar Quota Administration, Radiowealth, the Chinese Commercial School, Gay building, Iloilo Enterprise building, Berman Commercial, Panaderia de Mole, Century Nickel Plating Shop.

The fire was so devastating that many of the residents, including city officials, could only stand by, shocked and helpless, and wait for the fire to reach the Iloilo shorelines. Firetrucks used to put out the fire had to travel at least three kilometers from Jaro district just to fill their tanks. But, just like all things—good or bad—the fire had to come to an end. Although at the height of the fire, looting was rampant, nonetheless, civic-mindedness was the order of the day as soon as the fire was placed under control.

Government, business, and civic leaders, apparently aware of the extent of the damage, immediately launched fund drives for the victims. Donations in cash and kind were shipped to fire-stricken Iloilo City. An airline company offered the services of one of its airplanes for use in transporting relief items to the city. Other private organizations transported food, clothing, and cash to Iloilo for immediate distribution to the victims.

President Marcos and Vice President Fernando Lopez led the nation in seeing to it that the fire victims were cared for. Up to press time, contributions were cared for. Up to press time, contributions, mostly in cash, were still being sent to the fire victims.

Source: The Chronicle Magazine

Taken from: I AM PHILIPPINES Facebook Page - https://www.facebook.com/iamphilippines/posts/queen-city-of-south-razed-by-big-firethe-chronicle-magazinemarch-5-196650-millio/1946015448954646/

Photo Source:

https://www.facebook.com/FedFire/photos/a.279969413989/10154644951918990/