December 2, 1972 Earthquake: Mindanao, Davao, Philippines
A magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck Mindanao, Davao, Philippines on December 2, 1972 at 00:19:47 UTC, 73 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
- December 2, 1972
- Time
- 00:19:47 UTC
- Place
- Mindanao, Davao, Philippines
- Magnitude
- 7.4 (Ms)
- Focal depth
- 73 km (45 mi)
- Intensity
- 6 on the Modified Mercalli scale
- Tsunami
- Yes: the tsunami it caused
- Epicenter
- 6.500° N, 126.600° 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.
An earthquake occurred in the Philippines. In Davao, the earthquake was felt at an intensity of VI on the Rossi-Forel scale. Damage to structures was reported. A weak tsunami was observed.
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- March 14, 1913, Sangihe Island, Indonesia
- June 7, 2026, S, Indonesia, Mindanao, Philippines
- December 15, 2019, Davao, Mindanao, Philippines
- October 29, 2019, Cotabato, Davao, Mindanao, Philippines
- November 17, 2023, Davao, Mindanao, Philippines
- October 10, 2025, Mindanao, Philippines
- October 31, 2019, Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Philippines
- October 16, 2019, Cotabato, Davao, Mindanao, Philippines
- January 31, 1917, Glan,glan Padidu,tuyan, S Mindanao, Philippines
- November 4, 1870, Davao,blanco, Mindanao, Philippines
- August 11, 2021, Mindanao, Philippines
- July 9, 2019, Makilala, Tulunan, Mindanao, Philippines
- February 7, 1918, Mindanao, Philippines
- April 14, 1924, Mati,suriga, E Mindanao, Philippines
- January 10, 1970, Mindanao, Philippines
More
Significant earthquakes of 1972The 1900sEvery quake the USGS located in 1972Recent 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 4616.