December 14, 1901 Earthquake: Luzon, Philippines
A magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck Luzon, Philippines on December 14, 1901 at 22:57:45 UTC, 33 km below the surface.
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 14, 1901
- Time
- 22:57:45 UTC
- Place
- Luzon, Philippines
- Magnitude
- 7.8 (Ms)
- Focal depth
- 33 km (21 mi)
- Intensity
- 7 on the Modified Mercalli scale
- Tsunami
- None recorded
- Epicenter
- 14.000° N, 122.000° E
- Country
- Philippines
The toll
- Damage
- Limited (under about $1 million)
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.
1901, Dec 14, 22:57:45 GMT, 14 N, 122 E, shallow depth, magnitude 7.8. (reference #88)
1901, Feb 14 [probably Dec 14]. Intensity VII. Luzon and Mindoro. Violent. (reference #1058)
1901, Dec 15, 06:58 [local time]. Intensity VII. Very violent earthquake in southern Luzon. Some towns in Batangas Province suffered slight damage. (reference #1072)
1901, Dec 15, 7:58 pm [probably am]. Manila: Manila - experienced the strongest earthquake shock registered since the year 1880. Owing especially to the slowness of motion, the damage caused in Manila was of little consequence. It was felt throughout all Central Luzon from Pangasinan and Nueva Ecija to the Visayas. It was felt in Dagupan with almost the same force as in Iloilo, the oscillation at both
these points measuring between 2 and 3o
(reference #1187)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- January 27, 1911, Taal Volcano, 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
- February 5, 1970, Odiongan, Luzon, Romblon I, Tablas I, Philippines
- September 16, 1852, Bataan, Rizal, Pampanga,manila, Luzon, Philippines
- April 18, 1907, Camarines, SE Luzon, Philippines
- December 7, 1677, Central,s, Luzon, Philippines
- August 20, 1937, Luzon, Philippines
- September 10, 1901, E Tayabas,calauag Bay, Luzon, Philippines
More
Significant earthquakes of 1901The 1900sEvery quake the USGS located in 1901Recent 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 2601.