August 18, 2020 Earthquake: Masbate, Philippines
A magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck Masbate, Philippines on August 18, 2020 at 00:03:48 UTC, 10 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
- August 18, 2020
- Time
- 00:03:48 UTC
- Place
- Masbate, Philippines
- Magnitude
- 6.6 (Mw)
- Focal depth
- 10 km (6 mi)
- Intensity
- 7 on the Modified Mercalli scale
- Tsunami
- None recorded
- Epicenter
- 12.026° N, 124.127° E
- Country
- Philippines
The toll
- Deaths
- 2
- Injuries
- 50
- Damage
- $570,000
- Houses destroyed
- 138
- Houses damaged
- 1,167
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.
Intensity VII - Cataingan and Pio V. Corpuz, Masbate. A total of one (1) dead and 50 injured persons were reported in the Province of Masbate (REGION V) due to the earthquake.
A total of 992 houses were reported damaged in the Province of Masbate. Of which, 138 were totally damaged while 1167 were partially damaged. A total of 86 schools were reported damaged in the Province of Masbate. A total of P27,460,000.00 cost of damage to infrastructure was incurred in Region V due to the earthquake. (reference #12766, 12767, 12771,12779,12841)
Citing a report from the provincial governor, Congressman Wilton Kho of Masbate's third district said another resident died of heart attack due to Tuesday morning's earthquake and the aftershocks experienced since then, with shaking felt in nearby provinces.This brings the death toll to two, the first casualty being retired policeman Gilbert Sauro who died after his home in Barangay Concepcion in Cataingan collapsed. The town experienced Intensity 7 or "destructive" temblor, which Phivolcs officials said was strong enough to topple big pieces of furniture and cause poorly-built homes to crumble.The quake also left 170 people injured, with 67 patients coming from Cataingan. (reference #12842)
One person killed, one died from a heart attack and 170 injured; 14 buildings destroyed and 600 damaged; roads and bridges damaged; power outages occurred; liquefaction observed in the Cataingan-Palanas area, Masbate. Mayngaran, Bicol, Philippines - CDI: 9; Placer, Bicol, Philippines - CDI: 9; San Pedro, Bicol, Philippines - CDI: 8; Polangi, Eastern Visayas, Philippines - CDI: 8; Capul, Eastern Visayas, Philippines - CDI: 7 (reference #13456)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- September 30, 2025, Cebu, Central Visayas, Philippines
- March 22, 1840, Sorsogon,masbate Is,casiguran,albay, Philippines
- July 2, 1954, Sorsogon, Bacon, Legaspi, Luzon, Philippines
- July 6, 2017, Leyte, Philippines
- August 22, 2017, Ormoc, Leyte, Philippines
- November 18, 2003, Can-Avid, Samar, Philippines
- May 13, 1897, Masbate Island, Philippines
- February 15, 2003, Masbate, Dimasalang, Philippines
- February 15, 2003, Dimasalang, Luzon, Philippines
- March 5, 2012, Masbate Island, Philippines
- November 17, 1988, Catarman, Catbalogan, Samar, Philippines
- November 8, 1912, Sorsogon, Philippines
- July 12, 1931, Masbate, Philippines
- August 16, 1869, Masbate Island, Philippines
- September 1743, Leyte, Philippines
More
Significant earthquakes of 2020The 2000sEvery quake the USGS located in 2020Recent 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 10515.