stock here: this was on my radar but just barely, no idea the damage was so bad and so long lasting…..

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7.8 Earthquake Creates Sinkholes On Balut Island (Philippines Epicenter Near Indonesia)

Kumander Daot 253K subscribers 71,988 views Aug 9, 2026 BALUT ISLAND TWO MONTHS ON FROM THE STRONGEST EARTHQUAKE IN A GENERATION, BALUT ISLAND IS STILL DEVASTATED. Many families are still living in tents, under tarpaulins, or outside their homes in temporary shelters, as aftershocks cause fear.

Indeed, there were two major aftershocks while I was there, and many more earth shaking events. Sitio Highlander in Batuganding is Ground Zero, with even the most well built houses collapsing.

But in Barangay Lipul on the other side of the island, an interesting phenomenon has occured – sinkholes creates where volcanic ash blew through on land, or water and rocks on the ocean…