Reviewed by USGSPhilippines85y ago
M7.3 earthquake 12 km SSW of Kipit, Philippines
Tuesday, October 20, 1942, 23:21:53 UTC · 7.950°N, 122.470°E
A magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck 12 km SSW of Kipit, Philippines on Tuesday, October 20, 1942, 23:21:53 UTC, at a depth of 35.0 km (shallow). It is the strongest earthquake within 300 km since an M7.4 on December 19, 1928.
- Magnitude
- 7.3
- Major · mw
- Depth
- 35 km
- Shallow
- Felt reports
- 0
- Did You Feel It?
- Est. shaking
- VI
- Strong (ShakeMap)
- PAGER alert
- None
- Not issued
- Tsunami
- No flag
- USGS feed
Outlined circle: this earthquakeColoured lines: estimated shaking intensity (USGS ShakeMap)
In context
How big was it, and why here?
Energy released
1.2 megatons of TNT
That is about 80 times the Hiroshima bomb. It released about 2,541 times the energy of a magnitude 5.0.
Tectonic setting
325 km
from the nearest mapped plate boundary, between the Caribbean and South American plates. Earthquakes this far from a boundary happen on faults inside a plate, often less frequently but sometimes strongly.
Depth: shallow
35 km
Shallow earthquakes (under 70 km) produce the strongest surface shaking for their size, so they are the ones most likely to cause damage near the epicenter.
Did You Feel It?
Where it was felt
No “Did You Feel It?” reports have been published for this event yet. If you felt it, you can add your report on the USGS website.
I felt it — report to USGS ↗USGS PAGER estimate
Who was exposed to shaking
USGS publishes PAGER impact estimates for significant earthquakes, usually within an hour. No PAGER estimate is available for this event.
After the main event
Aftershocks within 200 km
USGS has not published any M2.5+ earthquake within 200 km in the 30 days after this event.
Regional history
Past M5+ earthquakes within 300 km
USGS lists 16 M5.0+ earthquakes within 300 km before this one (catalog from 1900; older records are less complete). The strongest:
- 7.410 km ESE of Basak, PhilippinesDecember 19, 1928 · 240 km SE of this epicenter
- 7.25 km NW of Kadingilan, PhilippinesMarch 2, 1923 · 267 km E of this epicenter
- 6.85 km NNW of Nalundan, PhilippinesMay 5, 1925 · 215 km N of this epicenter
- 6.82 km E of Guipos, PhilippinesDecember 28, 1928 · 100 km E of this epicenter
- 6.67 km ENE of South Upi, PhilippinesSeptember 26, 1919 · 227 km SE of this epicenter
- 6.55 km SSW of Mantalongon, PhilippinesOctober 11, 1906 · 265 km NE of this epicenter
- 6.410 km W of Wao, PhilippinesJuly 13, 1922 · 233 km E of this epicenter
- 6.355 km WSW of Palimbang, PhilippinesAugust 16, 1918 · 255 km SE of this epicenter
History · NOAA
Deadliest earthquakes in this area
NOAA’s significant-earthquake database lists 13 damaging, deadly or tsunami-generating earthquakes within 300 km of this epicenter since 1700, which together caused about 127 recorded deaths. The most severe:
- 1928M7.4
Cotabato,N Coast Of Illana Bay
19 Dec 1928 · 240 km away · intensity VII
97 deathsModerate damage ($1–5M)tsunami
- 1925M6.8
W. Luzon Island, Philippines
5 May 1925 · 152 km away · intensity IX
17 deathsModerate damage ($1–5M)tsunami
- 1897M8.7
Mindanao, Zamboanga, Sulu, Isabela
21 Sep 1897 · 223 km away · intensity IX
13 deathsSevere damage ($5–24M)tsunami
- 1902M7.3
Mindanao: Lanao, Cotabato
21 Aug 1902 · 124 km away · intensity X
Severe damage ($5–24M)tsunami
- 1871
Camiguin Island: Mambajao,Catarman
20 Feb 1871 · 279 km away · intensity IX
Severe damage ($5–24M)tsunami
- 1871
W Mindanao: Cotabato,Polloc Harbor
8 Dec 1871 · 200 km away · intensity IX
Severe damage ($5–24M)
NOAA NCEI Global Significant Earthquake Database. Historical figures are estimates; older records are incomplete.