Separate council meetings are ongoing in Surigao Provincial Capitol and Surigao City on Saturday to determine whether or not their area should be placed under state of calamity.
This comes, following the magnitude 6.7 earthquake that struck Surigao City on Friday at past 10 pm.
Some local reports say, the death toll stands at 15 but as of 12 noon Saturday, Surigao del Norte’s Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) has yet to release an official tally.
Three fatalities are in Caraga Provincial Hospital.
The hospital is also treating about 90 injured quake victims.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) says, the quake was tectonic in origin and had a depth of 4 kilometers.
As of Saturday, it has recorded 89 aftershocks.
PHIVOLCS explains, the tremor was due to the movement of the Philippine Fault Zone.
Anao-aon Bridge in San Francisco town and Surigao airport sustained heavy damage.
The airport had large cracks right in the middle of the runway.
It will be closed until March 10.
Gaisano mall remains closed and will have to go through structural inspection as cracks are also seen in some portions of the establishment.