March 31, 1955 Tsunami: Lake Lanao, Philippines

Name: March 31, 1955 Tsunami: Lake Lanao, Philippines
Start: 1955-03-31
Location: Lake Lanao, Philippines

March 31, 1955 · 465 deaths · $5 million · Erroneous entry

A tsunami caused by a magnitude 7.4 earthquake and a landslide began at Lake Lanao, Philippines on March 31, 1955 at 18:17:13 UTC. It killed 465 people, counting the earthquake or eruption that caused it.

Where the waves reached

The source of the tsunami. No runup with a place is recorded for it.

Under 1 m
1 to 3 m
3 to 10 m
10 to 30 m
30 m and more
Height not recorded

Tsunami warnings in force

The tsunami

Date: March 31, 1955, 18:17:13 UTC
Source: Lake Lanao, Philippines
Cause: Earthquake and landslide
Earthquake: Magnitude 7.4, 35 km deep
Runups recorded: 0
Waters: A lake or river, not the ocean
How certain: Erroneous entry
Source location: 7.658° N, 123.157° E

The toll

Deaths: 465 with the earthquake or eruption that caused it
Injuries: Very many (over 1,000) with the earthquake or eruption that caused it
Damage: $5 million with the earthquake or eruption that caused it

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.

Reference #13982 indicates a tidal wave occurred; however, references #1083 and #1187 clarify that the “lake slipped (as much as 40 feet) in the water”

April 1, 1955.--A mighty undersea earthquake rocked the southern Philippine Islands of Panay, Negros, Samar, Cebu, Leyte, and Bohol, killing hundreds and sending thousands fleeing from their homes before dawn. Mindanao, Negros, and Panay islands were hardest hit. The Lake Lanao region in northwestern Mindanao reported the largest number of dead. An entire village on the west shore of the lake was submerged by a tidal wave which followed the tremor. (reference #13982)

In the municipal district of Tugaya beside Lake Lanao, there was a high loss of lives (174 persons out of about 2,000 living in the poblacion) and this was brought about only because of the rather unfortunate geologic situation of the settlement. The deaths were due to drowning when the portion of the town bordering the lake slipped (as much as 40 feet) in the water […] around Lake Lanao, there are indications that changes in elevations of land surface points may have occurred (reference #1082, #1187)

Reference #10958 cites seiches occurred: Seiches in Lake Lanao occurred after the damaging earthquake of April 10, 1955. A whole village on the west shore of the lake was wiped out (Murphy and Cloud, 1957; Seismol. Soc. Am., 1955). Water of the lake swished back and forth. [erroneously listed as 10 April]

Every tsunami in 1955 The 1900s Tsunamis of Philippines The earthquake This day in weather history Alerts in force

Sources

Tsunami events and runups 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 tsunami event 6001.