Senior citizen dead, at least 25 hurt in strong Surigao aftershock

This house in Villa Corito, Surigao City is among the properties damaged by the 5.9 magnitude quake that hit Surigao on Sunday, March 5, 2017.
Photo by Levi Neis

A powerful earthquake struck Surigao del Norte anew on Sunday morning, leaving one dead, at least 25 persons hurt and a still undetermined number of houses and buildings damaged.

The Philippine Institute for Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said the 5.9 magnitude quake that was tectonic in origin hit at 8:08 a.m., centered at about 13 kilometers southwest of Surigao City at a depth of 13 km.

Intensity six was felt in Surigao City, intensity four in Limasawa and San Ricardo, Southern Leyte, intensity three in San Juan and San Francisco Southern Leyte, and intensity two in General Luna, Surigao del Norte and Ormoc City.

Damages and aftershocks were expected, Phivolcs said.

The quake was classified by the Phivolcs as a strong aftershock of the 6.7 magnitude quake that hit Surigao last month, which killed at least six people and caused massive damage to properties and infrastructure in the area.

Yesterday’s fatality was a 65-year-old woman who died of cardiac arrest during quake.

A report from Radyo Inquirer 990AM, citing the Philippine News Agency, identified the woman as Socorro Cenes, resident of Narciso corner Lopez Jaena Streets in Surigao City.

Twenty-five other people sustained minor injuries and were being treated at the Caraga Regional Hospital, the report added. Two houses at Barangay Sabang were also reportedly downed by the quake.