M6.9 Earthquake 8 km ESE of Calape, Philippines — September 30, 2025
2025-09-30 13:59:43 UTC (2025-09-30) · approx. 9:59 PM UTC+8 local
Felt by 647 people across surrounding communities. Maximum shaking intensity MMI 8.9 (violent).
On September 30, 2025 at 13:59 UTC, a magnitude 6.9 shallow crustal earthquake struck 8 km ESE of Calape, Philippines, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates 11.1557°, 124.1110°. The earthquake was reported felt by 647 peopleacross surrounding communities, with a maximum shaking intensity of Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) 8.9 (violent). The USGS PAGER system issued a orange alert level for this event, indicating regional impact possible. This earthquake was detected by 192 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 1589, making it one of the most significant global earthquakes in recent days. The nearest populated place is Tindog (population 3,306).
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 6.9 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 338 kilotons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 35 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
The epicenter is located in Philippines, a region characterized by the Manila Trench and Philippine Trench subduction systems, where the Philippine Sea Plate overrides the Eurasian Plate. The nearest mapped fault system is the Philippine Fault. View all earthquakes in Philippines.
Learn more: Magnitude scale · Aftershock sequences
Nearest Populated Places
What the Shaking Felt Like
At MMI 8.9 (violent), people in the most strongly affected areas would have experienced: Severe shaking causing considerable damage. Buildings may shift off foundations. Walls crack and may partially collapse. Heavy furniture overturned.
ShakeMap — predicted shaking intensity
Modeled ground-motion intensity contoured on the Modified Mercalli scale (MMI). Computed by the USGS from the moment-tensor solution and regional ground-motion prediction equations.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey ShakeMap. View interactive ShakeMap on USGS
Did You Feel It? — community-reported shaking
Aggregated felt-report intensity from 647 citizen responses to the USGS Did You Feel It? system. Each colored zone represents the average MMI from reports in that area.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey Did You Feel It?. View on USGS · submit your own report
Population exposure (USGS PAGER)
Estimated population that experienced each level of shaking. Based on the USGS PAGER rapid impact assessment, which combines ShakeMap output with global population grids.
| Shaking intensity (MMI) | Description | Population exposed |
|---|---|---|
| MMI 3 | weak | 279,988 |
| MMI 4 | light | 15,327,906 |
| MMI 5 | moderate | 11,091,376 |
| MMI 6 | strong | 2,628,434 |
| MMI 7 | very strong | 472,275 |
| MMI 8 | severe | 318,918 |
| MMI 9 | violent | 54,289 |
Earthquake Details
124.1110°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 6.9 earthquake near Calape, Philippines?
The magnitude 6.9 earthquake that struck 8 km ESE of Calape, Philippines on September 30, 2025 at 13:59 UTC had a depth of 10.0 km. It was felt by 647 people with maximum shaking intensity of MMI 8.9 (violent). For context, this was a strong earthquake capable of causing significant damage.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 11.1557°, 124.1110°, which is 8 km ESE of Calape, Philippines. The nearest populated place is Tindog (population 3,306). View all earthquakes in Philippines.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 6.9 earthquakes can continue for weeks to months and gradually diminish over time.
Has Philippines had earthquakes this big before?
The largest recorded earthquake in Philippines was the M8.0 Mindanao earthquake of August 17, 1976. Today's magnitude 6.9 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
What should I do after an earthquake?
If you were in the affected area: check yourself and others for injuries, inspect your home for damage, and be prepared for aftershocks. For detailed guidance, see our earthquake safety guide and emergency planning resources.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000rdrz). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2025, September 30, 2025). M6.9 Earthquake 8 km ESE of Calape, Philippines — September 30, 2025. Retrieved May 28, 2026 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000rdrz/