At least 25 people were injured, while several houses andbuildings were damaged after a 5.5-magnitude earthquake struck Surigao del Surprovince in Philippines on Saturday. According to the Philippine Institute ofVolcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs), the quake struck at 4.42 a.m at a depthof 5 km, about 9 km southeast of Carrascal town in the northeast coast ofMindanao island.

At least four neighbouring towns in Surigao del Sur provincesustained damages from the tremor.

Two churches in the coastal towns of Lanuza and Carmen weredamaged along with some houses and buildings.

Aside from Lanuza and Carmen towns, a number of houses,buildings in the towns of Madrid and Cantilan were also damaged.

The Phivolcs said the earthquake, which was tectonic inorigin, was also felt in some cities in southern Philippines and Cebu City inthe central Philippines. The institute said aftershocks were expected.