Surigao del Sur earthquake aftershocks reach almost 200

Almost 200 aftershocks were recorded hours after a magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck off Surigao del Sur on Saturday night, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) said Sunday.

"As of 2 a.m., mayroon nang 192 aftershocks," PHIVOLCS director Dr. Teresito Bacolcol said in an interview on Super Radyo dzBB.

(As of 2 a.m., there were 192 aftershocks already.)

"'Yung aftershocks would last for several days to several weeks. Habang tumatagal, lumiliit 'yung number ng aftershocks and magnitude," he added.

(The aftershocks would last for several days to several weeks. The aftershocks would get fewer and weaker in magnitude as the days go on.)

The aftershocks that occurred from Saturday night to early Sunday morning ranged from magnitude 1.5 to 6.1, data from PHIVOLCS showed.

The strongest aftershock so far at magnitude 6.1 occurred at 12:03 a.m. Sunday.

Its epicenter was located at 08.28°N, 126.94°E - 064 km N 66° E of Lingig, Surigao Del Sur.

The aftershock, which was tectonic in origin, had a depth of one kilometer.

The magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck off the coast of Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur at 10:37 p.m. Saturday evening, PHIVOLCS said.

The earthquake, which was initially measured at magnitude 6.1, had a depth of 25 kilometers.

Its epicenter was located 30 kilometers northeast of Hinatuan town.

PHIVOLCS raised a tsunami alert, warning of tsunami waves arriving between 10:37 and 11:59 p.m. Saturday.

PHIVOLCS later lifted the tsunami warning at 3:23 a.m. Sunday.

"Sea level monitoring stations confirmed the occurrence of tsunami with preliminary wave heights of 0.64 meter in Mawes Island, Hinatuan, 0.18 meter in Lawigan, Bislig City, 0.05 meter in Port of Dapa, Surigao del Norte and 0.08 meter in Mati, Davao Oriental," said PHIVOLCS in an advisory issued at 3:23 a.m.

"The last recorded tsunami wave arrival in the Philippines occurred at 02:52 AM (PST) at Hinatuan-Bislig Bay Station on Mawes Island. This means that the tsunami threat associated with this earthquake has now largely passed the Philippines," the agency added.

PHIVOLCS has canceled the warning and advised local governments to assess the situation in their areas.

Meanwhile, a mother reportedly died in Tagum City, Davao del Norte following the magnitude 7.4 earthquake.

The woman died after a wall of a collapsed house fell over her. She was rushed to a hospital but was declared dead on arrival, according to a report by Super Radyo Davao's Jaycel Villacorte on Super Radyo dzBB.

Her husband and child also sustained injuries.

The Tagum City Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO) is continuing its assessment regarding the earthquake. —KG, GMA Integrated News