Hinatuan – In the aftermath of a magnitude 7.4 earthquake, 632 families remain in evacuation centers in Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur. The local government unit (LGU) provided these figures on Friday, highlighting the ongoing crisis.

According to Philippines News Agency, the earthquake’s epicenter was located 29 kilometers northeast off the coast of Hinatuan town, leading to a tsunami warning and the evacuation of thousands to higher ground. The disaster directly impacted 13,312 families, or 48,202 individuals, within the town. The LGU detailed that 227 of the 632 families are sheltered at the Bay Dangpanan (House of Refuge), and another 405 families are at the Bitoon Elementary School. As of Thursday, 10,350 food packs have been distributed among the evacuees, who also received tents and non-food items. The earthquake caused significant damage to 1,103 houses in the town, with 155 being completely destroyed. Additionally, 37 government facilities were damaged, including the crucial Hinatuan Doppler Radar Station, a key weather monitoring site.