December 15, 1989 Earthquake: Cotabato, Davao, Mindanao, Philippines
A magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck Cotabato, Davao, Mindanao, Philippines on December 15, 1989 at 18:43:45 UTC, 24 km below the surface. It killed 2 people.
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 15, 1989
- Time
- 18:43:45 UTC
- Place
- Cotabato, Davao, Mindanao, Philippines
- Magnitude
- 7.5 (Mw)
- Focal depth
- 24 km (15 mi)
- Intensity
- 6 on the Modified Mercalli scale
- Tsunami
- None recorded
- Epicenter
- 8.337° N, 126.729° E
- Country
- Philippines
The toll
- Deaths
- 2
- Injuries
- Many (about 101 to 1,000)
- Damage
- $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.
1989, Dec 15. At least one person killed and many injured on Mindanoa. Damage (VI I RF) at Bislig. Felt (VI RF) at Cotobato ond Davao and (I RF) at Dipolog. Also felt (IV RF) on Camiguin. (III RF) On Cebu and (I RF) in southeastern Luzon. Two events about 10.5 seconds apart. (reference #1053)
1989, Dec 15. 7.5 MW (reference #9910)
1989, Dec. 15. Two killed, $1 million damage. (reference #1250)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- October 10, 2025, Mindanao, Philippines
- December 2, 2023, E, Mindanao, Philippines
- May 23, 1987, Talakag-Malaybalay, Mindanao, Philippines
- March 26, 1990, Santiago, Philippines
- August 30, 1924, Surigao,butuan, Mindanao, Philippines
- June 13, 1929, Hinatuan,ebro, Mindanao, Philippines
- March 18, 1909, E, Mindanao, Philippines
- November 11, 1921, E, Mindanao, Philippines
- June 28, 1894, Agusan River Valley, E Mindanao, Philippines
- January 1, 1919, Mindanao Island, Philippines
- March 5, 1908, Mindanao, Philippines
- July 12, 1911, Talacogon,davao,butuan, Mindanao, Philippines
- March 7, 2023, Davao, Mindanao, Philippines
- May 17, 1992, Mindanao, Tandag, Bislig, Philippines
- July 12, 2019, Surigao del Sur Province, Mindanao, Philippines
More
Significant earthquakes of 1989The 1900sEvery quake the USGS located in 1989Recent 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 5220.