© Paula CachoA family of four died in this sinkhole in Antiquera, Bohol.
Tagbilaran City - Close to 100 sinkholes have been discovered in nine towns and one city in Bohol after the 7.2-magnitude earthquake that shook the province on Oct. 15.
Environment officials said not all of the sinkholes posed dangers to the public as long as no houses were built over them.
In Poblacion Uno village in the capital Tagbilaran City, however, 200 families were asked to leave their homes, as the structures were built on the roof of a sinkhole.
A sinkhole is a vacuum or cavern beneath the ground or topsoil waiting for an occurrence (earthquake or heavy rain) to rupture.
Bohol Gov. Edgar Chatto said a team from the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) was assessing the sinkholes to determine which ones posed a threat to the public.
The eight-member team is using a ground-penetrating radar to map the island for sinkholes.
Chatto said the mapping would be completed by the first quarter of 2014 and then the team would decide whether there was need for engineering intervention.
"Don't worry. Bohol is a very safe place to stay," Chatto told reporters on Friday.