MANILA - Survivors of a powerful earthquake in Ormoc, Leyte found no rest in the night as heavy rains and aftershocks pummeled their town, Mayor Richard Gomez said Wednesday.

Gomez said evacuees were jolted from their sleep when 3 aftershocks rattled Ormoc between 10 p.m. Tuesday and 4 a.m. Wednesday.

"Hindi naman gaano kalakas kaya lang nalaman ko na iyung mga nasa evacuation center, halos lahat nagising at naghintay kung lalakas pa rin ang aftershocks," he said in an interview with radio DZMM.

"Mabuti naman at walang nagwala at nagtakbuhan."

(The aftershocks were not that strong but I learned that almost everyone at the evacuation centers woke up and waited to see if the tremors will get stronger. It was fortunate that nobody panicked and caused a stampede.)

The local government, he added, has yet to find evacuation areas for some residents. Many residents were staying in tents as rains lashed Ormoc, which remains without power.

"Malakas ang ulan dito ngayon kaya nga nakakaawa. Hinahanapan talaga namin ng ibang lugar iyung mga evacuees," Gomez said.

He said evacuees need bigger tents because those donated to them could only fit up to 3 people.

Residents of 2 villages straddling the faultline which generated Thursday's magnitude 6.5 tremor would also need to be relocated away from their ruined homes, said Gomez.

• IN PHOTOS: Aftermath of the Leyte quake

The mayor said it may take 2 to 3 more days before power is restored in the city.