December 29, 1949 Tsunami: E. Luzon Island, Philippines

Reference #414:

1949, December 29, 11:05 (local time). The strongest earthquake since the Second World War occurred on the northeast of Luzon Island. It was felt all over the island.

Fifteen people died, the majority because several boats were sunk on the Cagayan River, and the rest were buried under the collapses of the steep shores of the river.

Near Mersedes, one person died in the tsunami waves.

Listed as Questionable tsunami

Reference #79:

1 death from the tsunami at Mercedes.

Reference #1187:

Major earthquake. Fifteen persons were officially reported to have been killed or missing as a result of the earthquakes. Most of these were drowned in the Cagayan River, caused by the capsizing of the canoes they were travelling in. Others were buried under river banks which collapsed while they fished under them.

Reference #10958:

This earthquake occurred at 11:03 AM on December 29, 1949. Based on the original PAGASA record, the epicenter was at 17.5 N lat and 121.5 E long. But Gutenberg and Richter (1954) relocated it to another point. This inland earthquake caused severe damage to Isabela province and some minor damage to Manila. It was felt strongly in the northern provinces of Cagayan, Nueva Ecija, Aurora, Ilocos, even in the province of Batanes and the cities of Baguio and Quezon. Fifteen people drowned in Cagayan River when their boat sank and the rest were buried by river slides. The big wave killed one person near Mercedes (Murphy and Ulrich, 1951b; Berninghausen, 1969). Murphy and Ulrich, 1954. Listed as a Seiche.

Reference #11367:

1 death from sea wave near Mercedes