Death toll from Surigao del Sur quake rises to three

MANILA, Philippines — The death toll from the magnitude 7.4 earthquake that hit Surigao del Sur has risen to three, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council reported Wednesday. 

The three fatalities were from Davao region and CARAGA.

The strong quake left 48 people injured and over half a million individuals affected in Northern Mindanao, Davao region and CARAGA.

Around 3,336 aftershocks ranging from magnitude 1.4 to 6.6 have been recorded since the earthquake struck Saturday.

The government has so far provided P3.93 million in assistance to affected residents.

Earthquakes are a daily occurrence in the Philippines, which sits along the Pacific "Ring of Fire", an arc of intense seismic and volcanic activity. Most are too weak to be felt by humans. — Gaea Katreena Cabico