Tsunamis in the Philippines
A total of 21 tidal waves classified as a tsunami since 1749 have killed 4,868 people in the Philippines. Compared to other countries, Tsunamis therefore occur more often than average, but still moderate.The strongest tidal wave registered in the Philippines so far reached a height of nine meters. On 08/16/1976, this tsunami killed a total of 4,381 people.
Other natural hazards in the Philippines:
› Volcanoes
› Earthquakes
› Typhoons
› The most severe tsunamis in the world
Back to overview: Philippines
Tsunamis are caused by earthquakes or other seismic eruptions on ground of an oceans and can cause massive tidal waves, which run with enormous force on land, causing great devastation. Especially in regions with only few tsunamis, the damage is often drastic, as the population does not expect tsunamis and thus hardly takes any protective measures. Even relatively small flood waves can lead to high losses and financial damage.
The marked positions on the map represent the most affected regions within the past 280 years.
The marked positions on the map represent the most affected regions within the past 280 years.
The largest tsunamis in the Philippines since 1749
| Date | Cause | Max. tidal wave | Fatalities | Total damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 03/05/2002 | Earthquakes in the Philippines (Mindanao Island, Philippines) with a magnitude of 7.5. | 3 m | 0 | |
| 11/14/1994 | Earthquakes in the Philippines (Philippine Islands) with a magnitude of 7.1. | 7.3 m | 30 | |
| 05/17/1992 | Earthquakes in the Philippines (Philippines) with a magnitude of 7.3. | 6 m | 0 | |
| 08/16/1976 | Earthquakes in the Philippines (Moro Gulf) with a magnitude of 8.0. | 9 m | 4,381 | |
| 10/31/1975 | Earthquakes in the Philippines (Philippine Trench) with a magnitude of 7.6. | 0 m | 1 | |
| 03/17/1973 | Earthquakes in the Philippines (Quezon) with a magnitude of 7.5. | 1.3 m | 0 | |
| 04/07/1970 | Earthquakes in the Philippines (Philippine Sea) with a magnitude of 7.3. | 0 m | 0 | |
| 08/01/1968 | Earthquakes in the Philippines (E. Luzon Island) with a magnitude of 7.3. | 0 m | 1 | |
| 09/28/1965 | Volcano in the Philippines (Taal, Luzon Island) | 4.7 m | 355 | |
| 05/22/1960 | Earthquakes in Chile (Southern Chile) with a magnitude of 9.5. The tsunami caused damages in 13 further countries. A total of 2,226 humans died. | 1.5 m | 21 | |
| 01/24/1948 | Earthquakes in the Philippines (Sulu Sea) with a magnitude of 8.3. | 0 m | 2 | |
| 12/19/1928 | Earthquakes in the Philippines (Celebes Sea) with a magnitude of 7.3. | 0 m | 4 | |
| 06/15/1928 | Earthquakes in the Philippines (Sulu Sea) with a magnitude of 7.0. | 0 m | 0 | |
| 05/06/1924 | Earthquake, landslide in the Philippines (Philippines) with a magnitude of 6.5. | 0 m | 0 | |
| 11/11/1921 | Earthquakes in the Philippines (Philippine Trench) with a magnitude of 7.5. | 0 m | 0 | |
| 08/15/1918 | Earthquakes in the Philippines (Celebes Sea) with a magnitude of 8.3. | 5.5 m | 6 | |
| 01/31/1917 | Earthquakes in the Philippines (Celebes Sea) with a magnitude of 6.4. | 1.5 m | 0 | |
| 01/30/1911 | Volcano in the Philippines (Taal, Luzon Island) | 3 m | 54 | |
| 10/18/1897 | Earthquakes in the Philippines (Samar Island) with a magnitude of 8.1. | 0 m | 0 | |
| 09/21/1897 | Earthquakes in the Philippines (Sulu Sea) with a magnitude of 8.7. | 7 m | 13 | |
| 08/12/1749 | Volcano in the Philippines (Taal, Luzon Island) | 0 m | 0 |
These evaluations are based on data from the Global Historical Tsunami Database of the National Geophysical Data Center, NOAA, and World Data Service (NGDC/WDS), doi:10.7289/V5PN93H7. Individual data have been summarized or translated.
Active volcanoes and eruptions in the Philippines
Inflation rates in Venezuela
Public holidays in Hong Kong 2023-2027