March 5, 2002 Earthquake: Mindanao, Philippines
A magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck Mindanao, Philippines on March 5, 2002 at 21:16:09 UTC, 31 km below the surface. It killed 15 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
- March 5, 2002
- Time
- 21:16:09 UTC
- Place
- Mindanao, Philippines
- Magnitude
- 7.5 (Mw)
- Focal depth
- 31 km (19 mi)
- Tsunami
- Yes: the tsunami it caused
- Epicenter
- 6.033° N, 124.249° E
- Country
- Philippines
The toll
- Deaths
- 15
- Injuries
- 100
- Damage
- $1.7 million
- Houses damaged
- 800
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.
At least 15 people killed, 100 injured and 800 buildings damaged or destroyed in southern and central Mindanao. In South Cotabato Province landslides breached the crater wall of Parker Volcano and fell into Maughan Lake, creating a flood which washed away houses and flooded 9 sub-districts.
Local tsunamis with heights estimated at 3 meters caused damage at Kiamba, Maitum and Palimbang. Felt (IX PIVS) at Palimbang; (VIII PIVS) at Kiamba and Maitum; (VII PIVS) at Alabel, General Santos and Sebu; (VI PIVS) at Koronadal; (V PIVS) at Cotabato; (IV PIVS) at Davao City, Kidapawan and Zamboanga; (III PIVS) at Bislig, Malaybalay, Mati and Pagadian; (II PIVS) at Butuan; (I PIVS) at Hibok-Hibok. (reference #1053)
$1.714 million damage. (reference #1250)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- August 16, 1976, S, Mindanao, Philippines
- June 7, 2026, S, Indonesia, Mindanao, Philippines
- December 19, 1928, Cotabato,n Coast of Illana Bay, Philippines
- August 15, 1918, Cotabato, Mindanao, Philippines
- October 29, 2019, Cotabato, Davao, Mindanao, Philippines
- December 15, 2019, Davao, Mindanao, Philippines
- November 17, 2023, Davao, Mindanao, Philippines
- October 31, 2019, Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Philippines
- January 31, 1917, Glan,glan Padidu,tuyan, S Mindanao, Philippines
- October 16, 2019, Cotabato, Davao, Mindanao, Philippines
- November 4, 1870, Davao,blanco, Mindanao, Philippines
- July 9, 2019, Makilala, Tulunan, Mindanao, Philippines
- March 2, 1923, Mindanao Island, Philippines
- September 18, 2009, Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Philippines
- July 23, 2010, Moro Gulf, Celebes Sea, Philippines
More
Significant earthquakes of 2002The 2000sEvery quake the USGS located in 2002Recent 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 5625.