887 aftershocks followed Monday’s magnitude 6.8 quake in Surigao del Sur

This house in Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur, is among the homes heavily damaged or destroyed by earthquake. (Photo from Erwin M. Mascariñas)

MANILA, Philippines — A total of 887 aftershocks were recorded by state seismologists on Wednesday after a magnitude 6.8 earthquake hit the area on Monday off Cagwait town, Surigao del Sur.

These aftershocks ranged from 1.4 to 5.8, and only six of them were felt by the locals, according to Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs).

On Tuesday, Phivolcs reported three strong aftershocks: A magnitude 5.7 on 8:34 a.m., a magnitude 5.5 earthquake at 5:10 p.m., and another magnitude 5.7 on 5:43 p.m.

Phivolcs said the tectonic magnitude 6.8 tremor struck 63 kilometers east-southeast of Cagwait at 3:49 a.m. on Monday with a shallow depth of focus of one kilometer.

It was triggered by the Philippine trench, just like the powerful 7.4 earthquake off Hinatuan town that jolted the same province over the weekend.