MANILA, Philippines -- Waves caused by Typhoon “Mina” (international codename: Mitag) capsized two small passenger ferries in the Philippines overnight, killing at least three people and raising the overall death toll to 22, rescuers said Wednesday.

The ferries were crossing Taal Lake south of the capital Manila when strong winds brought about by the typhoon triggered huge waves, rescuers said.

Three people were confirmed drowned, while about 30 others were rescued. Six others remain missing.

The Office of Civil Defense said 19 others were killed by landslides, flashfloods and other storm-related accidents in seven northern provinces that bore the brunt of the storm.

Seven of the fatalities came from Camarines Sur, one in Camarines Norte of the Bicol region; three in Palawan, two in Apayao, two in Kalinga, three in Cagayan and one in Isabela province, according to the OCD.

Meanwhile giant waves simultaneously swamped 19 villages in Jolo Island, Zamboanga City and Misamis Oriental in the southern Philippines and in the northern provinces of La Union and Pangasinan, it said.

Nearly 200 houses made of light materials were washed away while more than 2,000 people were evacuated in Zamboanga, it said.

All ferry services between Zamboanga and Jolo were cancelled as environment and disaster officials rushed emergency and relief assistance.

Meanwhile, the National Disaster Coordinating Council said in its report that a total of 552,344 persons from 1282 barangay (villages) in seven regions -- the Ilocos, Cagayan, Central Luzon, CALABARZON, the Bicol Region, Eastern Visayas, and the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) -- had been evacuated although, it added that majority from the Cagayan Valley and Bicol have returned to their homes.

The NDCC also said that the Department of Public Works and Highways estimated damage to infrastructure at P162 million while the Department of Agriculture estimated damage to crops at P109.6 million.

Meanwhile, the Department of Education said damage to school buildings was at P210.8 million, the NDCC Said.

Reports from local governments said 3,733 houses were destroyed due to “Mina.”

National Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro said government scientists were trying to determine the cause of the huge waves, which struck day after a 6.0-magnitude earthquake shook the main island of Luzon.

Search and rescue operations were continuing for two air force pilots whose plane was believed to have crashed in the South China Sea on Monday while searching for a missing fishing vessel with 27 people aboard.

The fishermen have not been found.

Rescuers were also struggling to bring back vital lifelines to storm-ravaged provinces, some of which remain without power and only have intermittent telecommunication services.