Written by on . Last updated February 15th, 2025.

A significant MAG-5.4 earthquake struck in the South China Sea 19 kilometer from Nasugbu, The Philippines in the evening of Monday January 20th, 2025. The earthquake struck near a very densely populated region. Shaking may have been felt by a total of 47 million people.

Felt the earthquake? Share this article: Share on Facebook Tweet Submit to Reddit Share on LinkedIn

Earthquake Summary

This earthquake hit under water in the South China Sea, right off the coast of The Philippines (4 mi offshore), 19 kilometer south-southwest of Nasugbu in Calabarzon. The center of this earthquake had an intermediate depth of 100 km.

Date and Time: Jan 20, 2025 06:42PM (Manila Time)
- Jan 20, 2025 10:42 Universal Time.
Location: 19 km SSW of Nasugbu, Calabarzon, The Philippines.
Coordinates 13°54'13"N 120°34'3"E.
Map: Map of area around epicenter.
Map of area around epicenter. Click to open in Google Maps.
Magnitude: MAG 5.4
Detected by 52 stations. Maximum Error Range ±0.043 .
Depth: 100 km (62 mi)
An intermediate depth.
Max. Intensity:
V
Moderate

On the Modified Mercalli Scale.
Tsunami Risk: Low tsunami risk
Earthquakes under MAG-6.5 do not usually cause tsunami's.
Always stay cautious - More info here.

Minimal impact predicted

Based on scientific estimates by the US Geographic Survey (USGS), the risk of high fatalities for this earthquake is classified at level GREEN (low). They expect an 65% likelyhood of between 0 and 1 fatalities, and a 96% chance that the number of fatalities falls no higher than 10.

The USGS classifies the economic impact of this earthquake at level GREEN (low). They expect an 65% likelyhood of between 0 and 1 million US Dollars in economic damage and impact, and a 96% chance that the economic impact of this earthquake falls no higher than 10 million USD.

Roughly 47 million people exposed to shaking

An estimated 47 million have been exposed to shaking (An MMI or Modified Mercalli Intensity level II or higher) as a result of this earthquake according scientific estimates published by the USGS.

Light shaking and likely no damage may have been experienced by an estimated 31,160,000 people. At IV, it is the highest MMI level this earthquake has caused. All exposure to shaking was within the borders of The Philippines .

People MMI Level Shaking Damage
0
I
Not noticable None
168,500
II
Very weak None
15,970,000
III
Weak Probably none
31,160,000
IV
Light Likely none
0
V
Moderate Very light
0
VI
Strong Light
0
VII
Very Strong Moderate
0
VIII
Severe Moderate to heavy
0
IX
Violent Heavy
0
X
Extreme Very heavy

Nearby towns and cities

This earthquake may have been felt in The Philippines . The closest significant population center near the earthquake is Calatagan in Calabarzon, The Philippines. Calatagan is located 11 kilometer (7 mi) northwest of the epicenter. The intensity of shaking and damage in Calatagan is estimated to be around level IV on the Modified Mercalli Intensity scale (light shaking, likely no damage).

Multiple major population centers exist within 300km of the earthquake that struck today. Quezon City is located 98 km to the north-northeast and experienced an intensity of IV (light shaking, likely no damage). Manila is located 90 km to the north-northeast and experienced an intensity of IV (light shaking, likely no damage). Caloocan City is located 93 km to the north-northeast and experienced an intensity of IV (light shaking, likely no damage).

The table below provides an overview of all places in proximity of today's earthquake. Where available, the estimated intensity on the Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale in each place is included. Places where this information is omitted likely experienced little impact.

Overview of nearby places

Distance Place Intensity (MMI)
11 km (7 mi)
SE from epicenter
Calatagan

Calabarzon, The Philippines.
IV
Light
18 km (11 mi)
ENE from epicenter
Balayan

Calabarzon, The Philippines.
IV
Light
19 km (12 mi)
NNE from epicenter
Nasugbu

Calabarzon, The Philippines.
IV
Light
27 km (17 mi)
E from epicenter
Calaca

Calabarzon, The Philippines.
IV
Light
38 km (24 mi)
E from epicenter
Taal

Calabarzon, The Philippines.
IV
Light
44 km (27 mi)
NE from epicenter
Mendez-Nuñez

Calabarzon, The Philippines.
IV
Light
45 km (28 mi)
NNE from epicenter
Maragondon

Calabarzon, The Philippines.
IV
Light
45 km (28 mi)
ENE from epicenter
Tagaytay

Calabarzon, The Philippines.
III
Weak
47 km (29 mi)
NE from epicenter
Indang

Calabarzon, The Philippines.
IV
Light
49 km (30 mi)
ENE from epicenter
Patuto

Calabarzon, The Philippines.
III
Weak
49 km (30 mi)
ESE from epicenter
Bauan

Calabarzon, The Philippines.
IV
Light
50 km (31 mi)
E from epicenter
San Pascual

Calabarzon, The Philippines.
IV
Light
51 km (32 mi)
NNE from epicenter
Naic

Calabarzon, The Philippines.
IV
Light
55 km (34 mi)
ESE from epicenter
Batangas

Calabarzon, The Philippines.
IV
Light
56 km (35 mi)
NE from epicenter
Silang

Calabarzon, The Philippines.
IV
Light
60 km (37 mi)
N from epicenter
Mariveles

Central Luzon, The Philippines.
IV
Light
62 km (39 mi)
NE from epicenter
Dasmariñas

Calabarzon, The Philippines.
IV
Light
64 km (40 mi)
NNE from epicenter
General Trias

Calabarzon, The Philippines.
IV
Light
64 km (40 mi)
E from epicenter
Lipa City

Calabarzon, The Philippines.
IV
Light
66 km (41 mi)
ENE from epicenter
Santo Tomas

Calabarzon, The Philippines.
IV
Light
66 km (41 mi)
ENE from epicenter
Tanauan

Calabarzon, The Philippines.
IV
Light
69 km (43 mi)
NE from epicenter
Pulong Santa Cruz

Calabarzon, The Philippines.
IV
Light
70 km (43 mi)
NE from epicenter
Carmona

Calabarzon, The Philippines.
IV
Light
70 km (43 mi)
NNE from epicenter
Kawit

Calabarzon, The Philippines.
IV
Light
71 km (44 mi)
NE from epicenter
Imus

Calabarzon, The Philippines.
IV
Light
72 km (45 mi)
NE from epicenter
San Pedro

Calabarzon, The Philippines.
IV
Light
73 km (45 mi)
NE from epicenter
Cabuyao

Calabarzon, The Philippines.
IV
Light
73 km (45 mi)
ENE from epicenter
Calamba

Calabarzon, The Philippines.
IV
Light
74 km (46 mi)
NE from epicenter
Santa Rosa

Calabarzon, The Philippines.
IV
Light
74 km (46 mi)
NE from epicenter
Biñan

Calabarzon, The Philippines.
IV
Light
74 km (46 mi)
NNE from epicenter
Cavite City

Calabarzon, The Philippines.
IV
Light
74 km (46 mi)
NNE from epicenter
Bacoor

Calabarzon, The Philippines.
IV
Light
76 km (47 mi)
NE from epicenter
Las Piñas

National Capital Region, The Philippines.
IV
Light
79 km (49 mi)
ENE from epicenter
Los Baños

Calabarzon, The Philippines.
IV
Light
84 km (52 mi)
ENE from epicenter
San Pablo

Calabarzon, The Philippines.
IV
Light
85 km (53 mi)
NNE from epicenter
Pasay

National Capital Region, The Philippines.
IV
Light
86 km (53 mi)
SE from epicenter
Calapan

Mimaropa, The Philippines.
IV
Light
88 km (55 mi)
NE from epicenter
Makati City

National Capital Region, The Philippines.
IV
Light
88 km (55 mi)
NE from epicenter
Taguig

National Capital Region, The Philippines.
IV
Light
90 km (56 mi)
NNE from epicenter
Manila

National Capital Region, The Philippines.
IV
Light
91 km (57 mi)
NE from epicenter
Mandaluyong City

National Capital Region, The Philippines.
IV
Light
92 km (57 mi)
NE from epicenter
Binangonan

Calabarzon, The Philippines.
III
Weak
92 km (57 mi)
NNE from epicenter
San Juan

National Capital Region, The Philippines.
IV
Light
93 km (58 mi)
NNE from epicenter
Caloocan City

National Capital Region, The Philippines.
IV
Light
93 km (58 mi)
NE from epicenter
Pasig City

National Capital Region, The Philippines.
IV
Light
94 km (58 mi)
NE from epicenter
Angono

Calabarzon, The Philippines.
IV
Light
94 km (58 mi)
NNE from epicenter
Navotas

National Capital Region, The Philippines.
IV
Light
95 km (59 mi)
NNE from epicenter
Tanza

National Capital Region, The Philippines.
IV
Light
95 km (59 mi)
NE from epicenter
Taytay

Calabarzon, The Philippines.
IV
Light
96 km (60 mi)
NE from epicenter
Cainta

Calabarzon, The Philippines.
IV
Light
98 km (61 mi)
NNE from epicenter
Quezon City

National Capital Region, The Philippines.
IV
Light
100 km (62 mi)
NE from epicenter
Antipolo

Calabarzon, The Philippines.
IV
Light
239 km (149 mi)
N from epicenter
Dagupan

Ilocos, The Philippines.
279 km (173 mi)
N from epicenter
Baguio

Cordillera, The Philippines.
284 km (176 mi)
E from epicenter
Naga

Bicol, The Philippines.
292 km (181 mi)
SE from epicenter
Pandan

Western Visayas, The Philippines.
293 km (182 mi)
NNE from epicenter
Bayombong

Cagayan Valley, The Philippines.
Cities and Towns around the epicenter of this earthquake.

Earthquake Intensity Map

The graph below overlays a map of the region around the epicenter with earthquake intensity data provided by the US Geographic Survey. The highest intensity level detected for this earthquake is IV.

I Not felt
II Weak
III Weak
IV Light
V Moderate
VI Strong
VII Very Strong
VIII Severe
IX Violent
X Extreme
Earthquake Intensity Map based on Shakemap Data provided by USGS.

Shaking reported by 17 people

People that feel an earthquake may report their experience to the US Geographic Survey. Currently, 17 people have reported shaking in 13 places, all within Philippines.We keep updating this article as more ground reports become available. You may report that you felt this earthquake here.

Places with most reports:

  • Manila, National Capital Region, Philippines: 3 people.
  • Subic, Central Luzon, Philippines: 2 people.
  • Malanday, Southern Tagalog, Philippines: 2 people.
  • Mariveles, Central Luzon, Philippines: 1 person.
  • Masantol, Central Luzon, Philippines: 1 person.
  • Olongapo, Central Luzon, Philippines: 1 person.
  • San Jose del Monte, Central Luzon, Philippines: 1 person.
  • San Marcelino, Central Luzon, Philippines: 1 person.
  • Biñan (Pagsanjan, Laguna), Southern Tagalog, Philippines: 1 person.
  • Imus, Southern Tagalog, Philippines: 1 person.

Aftershocks detected

After this earthquake struck, 1 smaller aftershock occurred. A 3.7 magnitude earthquake hit 3 days later 15 km (10 mi) west-northwest of this earthquake.

Overview of foreshocks and aftershocks

Classification Magnitude When Where
Main Shock
This Earthquake
M 5.4 Jan 20, 2025 06:42PM
(Manila Time)
-
Aftershock M 3.7 3 days later
Jan 23, 2025 09:18AM (Manila Time)
15 km (10 mi)
WNW from Main Shock.
Detected MAG2.5+ earthquakes within within 100km (62 mi), that occurred in the three days before and after the main shock.

More earthquakes coming?

Earthquakes can create aftershocks. These are generally at least 1 magnitude lower than any main shock, and as time passes the chance and strength of aftershocks decreases.

The chance that a significant earthquake like this one is followed by an even larger earthquake is not so large. On average, scientists estimate a 94% chance that a major earthquake will not be followed by an even larger one. It is still adviced to be aware of this risk

Read: How to Stay Safe during an Earthquake (cdc.gov).

Earthquakes like this happen often in the region

Earthquakes of this strength are very common in the region. This is the strongest earthquake to hit since November 27th, 2024, when a 5.7 magnitude earthquake hit 175 km (109 mi) further north. An even stronger magnitude 6.7 earthquake struck on July 23rd, 2021.

In total, 30 earthquakes with a magnitude of 5.4 or higher have been registered within 300km (186 mi) of this epicenter in the past 10 years. This comes down to an average of once every 4 months.

Low tsunami risk

DISCLAIMER: We strongly suggest to closely monitor advice from local authorities with regards to tsunami risks. Our analysis is based on automatically collected data from external sources, and these might contain mistakes. In addition, earthquakes can cause landslides that may lead to a tsunami, or be a followed by another, potentially stonger, earthquake.

Based on early data it appears this earthquake was not strong enough (lower than MAG-6.5) to be likely to cause destructive tsunami's. However this earthquake appeared to have hit at a shallow depth under sea, so stay cautious and monitor advice from local authorities.

Tsunami Risk Factors

Factor Under Sea? MAG-6.5 or stronger? Shallow depth?
Explanation Almost all tsunami's are caused by earthquakes with their epicenter under sea or very near the sea. However stay cautious in coastal areas as earthquakes on land may cause landslides into sea, potentially still causing a local tsunami. Under MAG 6.5: Very unlikely to cause a tsunami.
MAG 6.5 to 7.5: Destructive tsunami's do occur, but are uncommon. Likely to observe small sea level changes.
MAG 7.6+: Earthquakes with these magnitudes might produce destructive tsunami's.
Most destructive tsunami's are caused by shallow earthquakes with a depth between 0 and 100km under the surface of the earth. Deeper tsunami's are unlikely to displace to ocean floor.
This Earthquake This earthquake appears to have struck under the sea. Not this earthquake.
This earthquake had a magnitude of 5.4. Earthquakes of this strength are unlikely to trigger a tsunami.
This earthquake occurred at a depth of of 100 km (62 mi). Earthquakes this shallow could trigger a tsunami.

Sources

Last updated 15/02/25 14:18 (). This article contains currently available information about the earthquake and is automatically composed. We continue to update this article up to a few days after the earthquake occurred.

  1. US Geographic Society (USGS): Earthquake us6000pl78
  2. European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC): Earthquake 20250120_0000107
  3. Geonames.org: World Cities Database
  4. Google Maps: Static API
  5. Earthquakelist.org: Historic Earthquakes Database

Share this article: Share on Facebook Tweet Submit to Reddit Share on LinkedIn