Although the storm's eye missed the area affected by the earthquake, it sent some 40,000 Boholanos still living in temporary shelters back to evacuation centers and disrupted relief efforts in the province.

[11] However, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS), the 7.2 earthquake may have been caused by a previously undiscovered fault transecting Bohol running east-northeast-west-southwest parallel to the island's northwest coast.

Documentation of the nearly continuous northern terminus of the earthquake ground rupture revealed its association to preexisting scarps of the previously unmapped, Quaternary-active North Bohol Fault (NBH).

Onshore geologic mapping and offshore seismic reflection profiles demonstrate the presence of an island-wide, northeast–southwest trending fold-and-thrust belt through which deformation related to the regional shortening across the Visayan Sea Basin in the central Philippines is likely distributed.

The maximum and average displacements, which were measured along the nearly continuous approximately 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) long ground rupture in Sitio Cumayot, Barangay Anonang, Inabanga, are around 5 and 2 metres (16.4 and 6.6 ft), respectively.

Other typical features associated with reverse faulting, such as scallops, bulges and warps, were also observed in the deformation zone, which extended as wide as 30 metres (98 ft) in some places.

[22][23] The United States Geological Survey issued a yellow warning, saying "some casualties and damage are possible and the impact should be relatively localized.

[27] A total of ₱2.25 billion worth of damage to public buildings, roads, bridges, and flood controls was reported in Bohol and Cebu.

[29][30][31] Several government buildings and numerous schools in the province were also partially or totally damaged, including the municipal halls of twelve towns.

Worst affected were the municipalities closest to the epicenter, such as Sagbayan, San Isidro, Calape, Tubigon, Clarin and Catigbian.

Furthermore, prolonged periods of aftershocks forced the population to take residence in makeshift shelters, afraid to go inside weakened buildings, and causing psychological trauma.

The following day, Bohol governor Edgar Chatto announced during the visit of President Benigno Aquino III that the provincial board would submit a resolution to the COMELEC postponing October 28 elections.

[42] On October 22 COMELEC officially announced the postponement of elections in Bohol citing safety issues and the integrity of the buildings being used as polling centers.

The Philippine National Police declared a full alert status and deployed 271 personnel and 27 vehicles in Bohol and Cebu and has continuously monitored the effects of the earthquake.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines coordinated with local governments and provincial disaster management units for updates on the situation and for damage assessments.

[47] Philippine President Benigno Aquino III visited the provinces of Cebu and Bohol on October 16 and assessed the damage caused by the quake.

The department planned to distribute two thousand family packs and 100 rolls of laminated sacks that would be airlifted by the Philippine Air Force's C130.

New Zealand Prime Minister John Key also sent a letter to President Aquino expressing their heartfelt sympathies to the people affected by the disaster.

Canada, through Foreign Minister John Baird, also offered sympathies and stated that his country is ready to help the Philippines.

[52] Japan, through ambassador Toshinao Urabe, wrote a letter to Aquino extending the people's and government's sympathies to the quake hit victims.

[53] Japan delivered emergency relief goods (150 tents and 485 plastic sheets) worth approximately $383,000 for the victims,[54] and later decided to extend additional assistance of $3.5 million through the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

[56] The United States, through the US Agency for International Development (USAID), donated $50,000 worth of non-food relief items and 6,000 hygiene kits.

[56][58] On October 25, the Australian Government announced that it would provide ₱124 million worth of funds to the quake-hit areas for humanitarian needs.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations' Coordinating Center for Humanitarian Assistance also delivered relief supplies to Bohol.

[52] The Philippine Red Cross (PRC) donated relief operations, and deployed volunteers and rescue teams to the depressed areas.

[60][61][62] The Singapore Red Cross (SRC) donated S$100,000 worth of relief goods, and deployed a team of volunteers in the affected areas on October 18.

[65] A 2014 report indicated that Bohol residents impacted by the quake have taken up mushroom farming, for which they are paid in rice, as part of a "Food-For-Work programme implemented in partnership with the Bureau of Fisheries and Agriculture and the Philippine Coconut Authority.

Some private individuals from the least-affected Tagbilaran City mobilized and provided aid by distributing relief goods and used clothing.