The Department of Social Welfare and Development in Caraga Region (DSWD-13) and the Office of Civil Defense-13 have provided over PHP 7.1 million in aid to residents impacted by the series of strong earthquakes across the region since last week.

Most of Mindanao experienced the tremors, with Manay town in Davao Oriental as the epicenter of the magnitude 7.4 and 6.8 earthquakes on Oct. 10, followed by aftershocks in the subsequent days.

In its report on Wednesday, the OCD-13 stated that the DSWD-13 distributed PHP1.7 million worth of Family Food Packs (FFPs) to various affected areas in the region.

A total of 2,980 FFPs were distributed to residents affected in Surigao del Sur, particularly in Hinatuan, San Agustin, and Lining, as well as in the Agusan del Sur towns of San Luis, Santa Josefa, and La Paz.

The OCD-13 also distributed some PHP5.4 million worth of non-food items in the provinces of Surigao del Sur and Agusan del Sur since last week.

“The non-food items include shelter repair kits needed for the damaged houses and hygiene kits,” the OCD-13 said.

Agusan del Sur received 547 shelter repair and hygiene kits valued at PHP2.84 million, while Surigao del Sur got 487 sets of the same kits worth PHP2.54 million.

The agency said the quakes have damaged 1,504 houses in the region, of which 1,491 are partially impaired, and 13 were destroyed.

Additionally, the OCD-13 reported 74,483 families or 268,784 individuals affected by tremors in 236 barangays.

Since last week, the region logged zero deaths or missing persons during the earthquakes, with 132 individuals reported injured.

Damage to infrastructure was recorded at PHP40.97 million and other assets at PHP60,000, with no damage to agriculture.

Major road networks and bridges in the region remain passable, and its key airports and seaports continue to operate. (PNA)