September 5, 1949 Earthquake: N Luzon, Philippines
A magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck N Luzon, Philippines on September 5, 1949 at 02:54:01 UTC, 80 km below the surface. It caused a tsunami.
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
- September 5, 1949
- Time
- 02:54:01 UTC
- Place
- N Luzon, Philippines
- Magnitude
- 6.4 (Ms)
- Focal depth
- 80 km (50 mi)
- Tsunami
- Yes: the tsunami it caused
- Epicenter
- 17.000° N, 121.500° E
- Country
- Philippines
The toll
The record gives no deaths, injuries or damage for this earthquake.
What the record says
NCEI’s account, from the sources it cites.
Reference #414:
1949, September 5, 10:54 [local time], 17 N, 121.5 E, depth 80 km, magnitude 6, erroneous tsunami. There was an earthquake with source on the north of Luzon Island. It was felt with a force of 4-5 degrees (V Rossi-Forel) at Tuguegarao, 4 degrees (IV) at Manila, with oscillations lasting 30 seconds, 3 degrees at Aparri and 2 degrees at Bagio and Vigan. Two aftershocks were felt (Minoza et al. , no date). There is an unclear record from the tide gauge at Manila, which can be interpreted as a tsunami or seiches with a height of 10 cm and a period of 17 min. [Undoubtedly seiches.] [5.IX; 2h54m01s; 17 deg N., 121.5 deg E; 80 km; M=6.4,]
Reference #79:
1949, September 5, 02:54 UTC, 18.5 N, 122 E, Babuyan Channel. Tsunami observed at Manila 0.1 m.
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- July 16, 1990, Baguio, Cabanatuan, Dagupan, Philippines
- August 1, 1968, Manila, Luzon, Philippines
- July 18, 1880, Pasig River,pampanga, S Coast Luzon, Philippines
- December 29, 1949, E, Luzon, Philippines
- August 17, 1983, Luzon, Philippines
- April 7, 1970, Luzon, Philippines
- July 27, 2022, Abra, Luzon, Philippines
- April 24, 1985, Benguet Province, Baguio, Luzon, Philippines
- March 16, 1892, Abra,pangasinan,union, Luzon, Philippines
- March 18, 1977, Manila, Luzon, Philippines
- November 1610, E, Luzon, Philippines
- 1744, W. Luzon Island, Philippines
- September 1, 1881, Nueva Vizcaya,bayombong, Philippines
- September 30, 1881, Nueva Vizcaya, Philippines
- August 3, 1874, Lepanto-Bontoc, Philippines
More
Significant earthquakes of 1949The 1900sEvery quake the USGS located in 1949Recent 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 9908.