Philippines Earthquake Today

Where to check earthquakes in the Philippines

PHIVOLCS, an agency of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), monitors earthquakes, volcanoes and tsunamis. Its earthquake bulletins give the location relative to the nearest town, the depth, the magnitude, reported intensities, and whether damage and aftershocks are expected. PHIVOLCS also issues tsunami information for Philippine coasts. Local government units and disaster risk reduction offices handle evacuation, so follow their instructions.

For an international view, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) report moderate and larger earthquakes in the Philippines. You can see USGS-reported events on the EQRadar live map of the Philippines, check volcano information on the volcanoes page, and look up past earthquakes in the history view.

Magnitude and the PHIVOLCS Earthquake Intensity Scale

Magnitude describes the size of an earthquake at its source. The PHIVOLCS Earthquake Intensity Scale (PEIS) describes the effects at a particular place, from Intensity I (scarcely perceptible) to Intensity X (completely devastating). An earthquake has one magnitude, but bulletins may list several intensities for different towns. Read more in our lesson on magnitude vs intensity.

PHIVOLCS's first bulletin is often based on automatic processing and may be updated with a revised magnitude or location. USGS may report a slightly different magnitude because it uses different data and methods. Philippine Standard Time is UTC+8, so an earthquake at 01:00 UTC happened at 09:00 in Manila. Also check the Depth: deep earthquakes in the sinking plates are often widely felt but less damaging than shallow ones.

Why the Philippines has so many earthquakes

The islands lie between the Philippine Sea plate to the east and the Eurasian plate (with the Sunda block) to the west. The plates converge along trenches on both sides. To the east, the Philippine Sea plate sinks along the Philippine Trench and the East Luzon Trough. To the west, plates sink along the Manila Trench and, farther south, the Negros, Sulu and Cotabato trenches. This Subduction produces offshore earthquakes and feeds the country's volcanoes.

Part of the plate motion is taken up by the Philippine Fault Zone, a strike-slip Fault system roughly 1,200 kilometers long that runs from northern Luzon through the central islands to Mindanao. Many other active faults cross the country. One of the most closely watched is the Valley Fault System, including the West Valley Fault, which runs through Metro Manila. PHIVOLCS provides tools such as FaultFinder so people can check how close a location is to a mapped active fault.

Notable earthquakes in the Philippines

The July 16, 1990 Luzon earthquake, about magnitude 7.7, ruptured a long stretch of the Philippine Fault Zone and its branches. It caused severe damage in Baguio, Dagupan and Cabanatuan, with more than 1,600 deaths, and triggered many landslides in the mountains.

Hazards beyond the shaking

Because most Filipinos live near the coast, tsunamis are a serious concern. Local tsunamis from nearby trenches can arrive within minutes, as in the 1976 Moro Gulf disaster, leaving no time for an official warning. If you feel strong shaking that makes it hard to stand, or shaking that lasts a long time, move to high ground right away.

Steep, rain-soaked slopes make landslides common after strong earthquakes, especially in the Cordillera and on islands such as Mindanao. Loose sediments in river deltas, reclaimed land and coastal lowlands, including parts of Metro Manila, are vulnerable to Liquefaction. The country also has many active volcanoes, including Mayon, Taal and Pinatubo, which PHIVOLCS monitors separately with its own alert levels.

If you felt an earthquake in the Philippines

Drop, Cover and Hold On during the shaking; this is the same action practiced in the country's regular Nationwide Simultaneous Earthquake Drills. Once the shaking stops, check for injuries, fires and gas leaks, and leave the building calmly if it is damaged. Near the coast, move to high ground after strong or long shaking. Then check the PHIVOLCS bulletin and follow your barangay and local government for instructions. Expect aftershocks, and see our earthquake safety tips for more detail.

Frequently asked questions