December 29, 1872 Earthquake: Rizal, Cavite, N Mindoro, S Luzon, Philippines
An earthquake struck Rizal, Cavite, N Mindoro, S Luzon, Philippines on December 29, 1872 at 03:48 UTC.
Map
Where it struck, with the other significant earthquakes within 200 km. Circles are sized and colored by magnitude; select one for its page.
The earthquake
- Date
- December 29, 1872
- Time
- 03:48 UTC
- Place
- Rizal, Cavite, N Mindoro, S Luzon, Philippines
- Intensity
- 8 on the Modified Mercalli scale
- Tsunami
- None recorded
- Epicenter
- 13.800° N, 121.000° E
- Country
- Philippines
The toll
- Damage
- Moderate (about $1 to $5 million)
- Houses destroyed
- Some (about 51 to 100)
- Houses damaged
- Some (about 51 to 100) with its tsunami and other effects
Where the literature gives no number, NCEI records a description on a scale of 1 to 4, printed here in its words. Damage is in millions of US dollars of the year of the event, not adjusted for inflation.
What the record says
NCEI’s account, from the sources it cites.
1872, December 29, 11h 48m. Intensity VIII. Most violent earthquake in the region southwest of Manila, which
is comprised between the Zambales Mountain Range and the
northern part of Mindoro. It did considerable damage to
buildings in the Provinces of Bataan, Cavite, and Batangas. The towns which suffered most severely were Balanga, Tuy, Nasugbu, Calaca, Balayan, Tad, and Batangas. Several shocks of small intensity preceded the principal quake between 6 and 9 o'clock. (reference #1072)
1872, December 29. ...Batangas: Masonry buildings damaged... The earthquake of the 29th ruined the entire dome and part of the transept of Pulilan. In the other public and private buildings of this province there was no damage, except some injuries to the government house, church, and rectory of this town, which I have mentioned in a special report. (reference #3029)
1872, December 29. Intensity VIII. SW Luzon, Batangas, Cavite, and Zambales. Very violent. (reference #1058)
1872, December 29, 03h 48m GMT. Philippines. S. Luzon, Manila, Rizal, Cavite, Batangas, Bataan, Zambales provinces and Northern Mindoro. Intensity II which corresponds to buildings may be unroofed or shattered and some may fall, the ground may be badly cracked in places and small landslips occur. (reference #1055)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- January 27, 1911, Taal Volcano, Luzon, Philippines
- June 15, 1991, Manila, Pinatubo Eruption, Luzon, Philippines
- November 30, 1645, S Batangas to N Cagayan, Luzon, Philippines
- June 3, 1863, Manila, Rizal, Bulacan, Philippines
- November 14, 1994, Mindoro, Philippines
- June 19, 1665, Manila, Philippines
- April 22, 2019, Pampanga Province, Philippines
- March 17, 1973, Calaug,lopez,guiayangan, Quezon City, Philippines
- May 15, 1754, Taal Volcano, Philippines
- January 12, 1743, Tayabas,laguna, Luzon, Philippines
- September 16, 1852, Bataan, Rizal, Pampanga,manila, Luzon, Philippines
- February 5, 1970, Odiongan, Luzon, Romblon I, Tablas I, Philippines
- December 7, 1677, Central,s, Luzon, Philippines
- June 19, 1988, San Jose, Calapan, Mindoro, Philippines
- August 20, 1937, Luzon, Philippines
More
Significant earthquakes of 1872The 1800sRecent earthquakes near hereThis day in weather history
Sources
Significant earthquakes from NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information, Global Historical Hazard Database, cited as NCEI/WDS, doi:10.7289/V5PN93H7. Public domain. Read 2026-09-24. NCEI earthquake 2203.