A shallow and significant Magnitude 5.3 earthquake struck in the Sulawesi Sea 117 kilometer from Malingao, The Philippines deep in the night of Tuesday January 20th, 2026.
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Earthquake Summary
This earthquake hit under water in the Sulawesi Sea, 32 kilometers (20 mi) off the coast of The Philippines, 117 kilometer southwest of Malingao in Soccsksargen. The center of this earthquake had a very shallow depth of 10 km. Shallow earthquakes usually have a larger impact than earthquakes deep in the earth.
| Date and Time: | Jan 20, 2026 03:00AM (Manila Time) - Jan 19, 2026 19:00 Universal Time. |
|---|---|
| Location: | 117 km SW of Malingao, Soccsksargen, The Philippines. Coordinates 6°23'14"N 123°45'28"E. |
| Map: |  Map of area around epicenter. Click to open in Google Maps. |
| Magnitude: | MAG 5.3 Detected by 9 stations. Maximum Error Range ±0.103 . |
| Depth: | 10 km (6 mi) A very shallow depth. |
| Tsunami Risk: | Low tsunami risk Earthquakes under MAG-6.5 do not usually cause tsunami's. Always stay cautious - More info here. |
Nearby towns and cities
This earthquake may have been felt in The Philippines . Laguilayan in Soccsksargen, The Philippines is the nearest significant place from the epicenter. The earthquake occurred 90 kilometer (56 mi) west-southwest of Laguilayan.
Multiple large cities are in proximity of today's earthquake. Budta is located 118 km to the north-east. Malingao is located 117 km to the north-east. Davao is located 219 km to the east-northeast.
A complete list of nearby places is included below.
Overview of nearby places
| Distance | Place |
|---|---|
| 90 km (56 mi) ENE from epicenter |
Laguilayan Soccsksargen, The Philippines. |
| 92 km (57 mi) NE from epicenter |
Maganoy Rehiyong Autonomo sa Muslim na Mindanao, The Philippines. |
| 97 km (60 mi) ENE from epicenter |
Isulan Soccsksargen, The Philippines. |
| 107 km (66 mi) E from epicenter |
Lake Sebu Soccsksargen, The Philippines. |
| 107 km (66 mi) ENE from epicenter |
Tacurong Soccsksargen, The Philippines. |
| 108 km (67 mi) NE from epicenter |
Pagaluñgan Rehiyong Autonomo sa Muslim na Mindanao, The Philippines. |
| 108 km (67 mi) NNE from epicenter |
Cotabato Rehiyong Autonomo sa Muslim na Mindanao, The Philippines. |
| 109 km (68 mi) E from epicenter |
Surallah Soccsksargen, The Philippines. |
| 113 km (70 mi) E from epicenter |
Bañga Soccsksargen, The Philippines. |
| 117 km (73 mi) NE from epicenter |
Malingao Soccsksargen, The Philippines. |
| 118 km (73 mi) NE from epicenter |
Budta Rehiyong Autonomo sa Muslim na Mindanao, The Philippines. |
| 121 km (75 mi) ENE from epicenter |
Buluan Rehiyong Autonomo sa Muslim na Mindanao, The Philippines. |
| 121 km (75 mi) E from epicenter |
Koronadal Soccsksargen, The Philippines. |
| 123 km (76 mi) NNE from epicenter |
Parang Rehiyong Autonomo sa Muslim na Mindanao, The Philippines. |
| 124 km (77 mi) NE from epicenter |
Midsayap Soccsksargen, The Philippines. |
| 132 km (82 mi) E from epicenter |
Tupi Soccsksargen, The Philippines. |
| 143 km (89 mi) NE from epicenter |
Kabacan Soccsksargen, The Philippines. |
| 146 km (91 mi) E from epicenter |
Polomolok Soccsksargen, The Philippines. |
| 159 km (99 mi) E from epicenter |
General Santos Soccsksargen, The Philippines. |
| 162 km (101 mi) ENE from epicenter |
Kidapawan Soccsksargen, The Philippines. |
| 163 km (101 mi) N from epicenter |
Muricay Zamboanga Peninsula, The Philippines. |
| 163 km (101 mi) ENE from epicenter |
Magsaysay Davao, The Philippines. |
| 164 km (102 mi) NNW from epicenter |
Pagadian Zamboanga Peninsula, The Philippines. |
| 167 km (104 mi) ENE from epicenter |
Bansalan Davao, The Philippines. |
| 169 km (105 mi) E from epicenter |
Maluñgun Soccsksargen, The Philippines. |
| 172 km (107 mi) E from epicenter |
Alabel Soccsksargen, The Philippines. |
| 172 km (107 mi) ESE from epicenter |
Glan Soccsksargen, The Philippines. |
| 176 km (109 mi) NE from epicenter |
Wao Rehiyong Autonomo sa Muslim na Mindanao, The Philippines. |
| 176 km (109 mi) ESE from epicenter |
Malapatan Soccsksargen, The Philippines. |
| 181 km (112 mi) ENE from epicenter |
Digos Davao, The Philippines. |
| 186 km (116 mi) N from epicenter |
Tangub Northern Mindanao, The Philippines. |
| 189 km (117 mi) NNE from epicenter |
Marawi City Rehiyong Autonomo sa Muslim na Mindanao, The Philippines. |
| 190 km (118 mi) E from epicenter |
Santa Maria Davao, The Philippines. |
| 191 km (119 mi) N from epicenter |
Molave Zamboanga Peninsula, The Philippines. |
| 195 km (121 mi) WNW from epicenter |
Zamboanga Zamboanga Peninsula, The Philippines. |
| 196 km (122 mi) N from epicenter |
Mahayag Zamboanga Peninsula, The Philippines. |
| 196 km (122 mi) N from epicenter |
Ozamiz City Northern Mindanao, The Philippines. |
| 199 km (124 mi) NE from epicenter |
Don Carlos Northern Mindanao, The Philippines. |
| 201 km (125 mi) W from epicenter |
City of Isabela Rehiyong Autonomo sa Muslim na Mindanao, The Philippines. |
| 204 km (127 mi) NNE from epicenter |
Mantampay Northern Mindanao, The Philippines. |
| 212 km (132 mi) NNE from epicenter |
Iligan Northern Mindanao, The Philippines. |
| 219 km (136 mi) NNE from epicenter |
Iligan City Soccsksargen, The Philippines. |
| 219 km (136 mi) ENE from epicenter |
Davao Davao, The Philippines. |
| 224 km (139 mi) NE from epicenter |
NIA Valencia Northern Mindanao, The Philippines. |
| 236 km (147 mi) ENE from epicenter |
Panabo Davao, The Philippines. |
| 247 km (153 mi) N from epicenter |
Dipolog Zamboanga Peninsula, The Philippines. |
| 248 km (154 mi) NE from epicenter |
Malaybalay Northern Mindanao, The Philippines. |
| 253 km (157 mi) NNE from epicenter |
Cagayan de Oro Northern Mindanao, The Philippines. |
| 255 km (158 mi) ENE from epicenter |
Magugpo Poblacion Davao, The Philippines. |
| 255 km (158 mi) N from epicenter |
Dapitan Zamboanga Peninsula, The Philippines. |
| 279 km (173 mi) ENE from epicenter |
Mati Davao, The Philippines. |
Shaking reported by 4 people
People that feel an earthquake may report their experience to the US Geographic Survey. Currently, 4 people have reported shaking in 3 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:
- Buayan, Southern Mindanao, Philippines: 2 people.
- Davao, Southern Mindanao, Philippines: 1 person.
- Tulunan, Central Mindanao, Philippines: 1 person.
33 Aftershocks detected
After this earthquake struck, 33 smaller aftershocks occurred. A 4.7 magnitude earthquake hit 11 hrs later 35 km (22 mi) north-east of this earthquake.
Before this earthquake struck, 26 smaller foreshocks occurred. Roughly 1 day before this earthquake, a foreshock measuring MAG-4.9 was detected nearby this earthquake.
Overview of foreshocks and aftershocks
| Classification | Magnitude | When | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foreshock | M 3.2 |
2 days earlier Jan 19, 2026 06:30AM (Manila Time) | 13 km (8 mi) NW from Main Shock. |
| Foreshock | M 4.9 |
1 day earlier Jan 20, 2026 02:53AM (Manila Time) | 11 km (7 mi) N from Main Shock. |
| Foreshock | M 3.0 |
1 day earlier Jan 20, 2026 03:20AM (Manila Time) | 19 km (12 mi) NNE from Main Shock. |
| Foreshock | M 3.3 |
1 day earlier Jan 20, 2026 03:22AM (Manila Time) | 10 km (6 mi) WNW from Main Shock. |
| Foreshock | M 3.3 |
1 day earlier Jan 20, 2026 03:38AM (Manila Time) | 6 km (4 mi) N from Main Shock. |
| Foreshock | M 3.0 |
1 day earlier Jan 20, 2026 03:43AM (Manila Time) | 4 km (2.3 mi) WNW from Main Shock. |
| Foreshock | M 4.7 |
1 day earlier Jan 20, 2026 03:54AM (Manila Time) | 3 km (1.9 mi) ESE from Main Shock. |
| Foreshock | M 3.2 |
1 day earlier Jan 20, 2026 04:30AM (Manila Time) | 3 km (2.1 mi) NW from Main Shock. |
| Foreshock | M 3.4 |
1 day earlier Jan 20, 2026 05:28AM (Manila Time) | 13 km (8 mi) N from Main Shock. |
| Foreshock | M 3.8 |
1 day earlier Jan 20, 2026 06:23AM (Manila Time) | 10 km (6 mi) W from Main Shock. |
| Foreshock | M 3.3 |
1 day earlier Jan 20, 2026 07:36AM (Manila Time) | 4 km (2.4 mi) NNE from Main Shock. |
| Foreshock | M 4.4 |
22 hrs earlier Jan 20, 2026 11:46AM (Manila Time) | 11 km (7 mi) NW from Main Shock. |
| Foreshock | M 4.1 |
21 hrs earlier Jan 20, 2026 12:38PM (Manila Time) | 10 km (6 mi) NNW from Main Shock. |
| Foreshock | M 3.1 |
20 hrs earlier Jan 20, 2026 01:36PM (Manila Time) | 13 km (8 mi) N from Main Shock. |
| Foreshock | M 3.0 |
19 hrs earlier Jan 20, 2026 02:46PM (Manila Time) | 7 km (5 mi) WSW from Main Shock. |
| Foreshock | M 4.7 |
15 hrs earlier Jan 20, 2026 06:29PM (Manila Time) | 15 km (9 mi) N from Main Shock. |
| Foreshock | M 3.4 |
13 hrs earlier Jan 20, 2026 08:48PM (Manila Time) | 6 km (4 mi) N from Main Shock. |
| Foreshock | M 3.1 |
11 hrs earlier Jan 20, 2026 10:04PM (Manila Time) | 16 km (10 mi) NW from Main Shock. |
| Foreshock | M 3.0 |
11 hrs earlier Jan 20, 2026 10:35PM (Manila Time) | 14 km (9 mi) NW from Main Shock. |
| Foreshock | M 3.9 |
10 hrs earlier Jan 20, 2026 11:25PM (Manila Time) | 14 km (8 mi) W from Main Shock. |
| Foreshock | M 4.8 |
2 hrs earlier Jan 21, 2026 07:25AM (Manila Time) | 8 km (5 mi) ENE from Main Shock. |
| Foreshock | M 4.5 |
2 hrs earlier Jan 21, 2026 07:30AM (Manila Time) | 36 km (22 mi) NNE from Main Shock. |
| Foreshock | M 4.2 |
54 mins earlier Jan 21, 2026 08:38AM (Manila Time) | 23 km (14 mi) N from Main Shock. |
| Foreshock | M 3.7 |
23 mins earlier Jan 21, 2026 09:09AM (Manila Time) | 7 km (4 mi) NW from Main Shock. |
| Foreshock | M 3.8 |
21 mins earlier Jan 21, 2026 09:12AM (Manila Time) | 17 km (10 mi) W from Main Shock. |
| Foreshock | M 4.8 |
7 mins earlier Jan 21, 2026 09:26AM (Manila Time) | 13 km (8 mi) ENE from Main Shock. |
| Main Shock | M 5.4 |
Jan 21, 2026 09:33AM (Manila Time) | - |
| Aftershock | M 3.4 |
5 mins later Jan 21, 2026 09:37AM (Manila Time) | 8 km (5 mi) S from Main Shock. |
| Aftershock | M 3.9 |
57 mins later Jan 21, 2026 10:30AM (Manila Time) | 10 km (6 mi) NW from Main Shock. |
| Aftershock | M 3.6 |
1 hr later Jan 21, 2026 10:37AM (Manila Time) | 7 km (4 mi) W from Main Shock. |
| Aftershock | M 3.0 |
2 hrs later Jan 21, 2026 11:42AM (Manila Time) | 18 km (11 mi) N from Main Shock. |
| Aftershock | M 3.4 |
3 hrs later Jan 21, 2026 12:41PM (Manila Time) | 18 km (11 mi) NNW from Main Shock. |
| Aftershock | M 4.7 |
4 hrs later Jan 21, 2026 01:14PM (Manila Time) | 3 km (1.9 mi) WSW from Main Shock. |
| Aftershock | M 3.0 |
4 hrs later Jan 21, 2026 01:29PM (Manila Time) | 11 km (7 mi) NW from Main Shock. |
| Aftershock | M 3.8 |
4 hrs later Jan 21, 2026 01:39PM (Manila Time) | 15 km (9 mi) NW from Main Shock. |
| Aftershock | M 3.0 |
4 hrs later Jan 21, 2026 02:00PM (Manila Time) | 16 km (10 mi) WSW from Main Shock. |
| Aftershock | M 3.2 |
5 hrs later Jan 21, 2026 02:43PM (Manila Time) | 17 km (10 mi) NNE from Main Shock. |
| Aftershock | M 4.2 |
7 hrs later Jan 21, 2026 04:49PM (Manila Time) | 10 km (6 mi) N from Main Shock. |
| Aftershock | M 3.1 |
9 hrs later Jan 21, 2026 06:41PM (Manila Time) | 18 km (11 mi) WNW from Main Shock. |
| Aftershock | M 3.3 |
10 hrs later Jan 21, 2026 07:52PM (Manila Time) | 12 km (8 mi) NW from Main Shock. |
| Aftershock | M 4.7 |
10 hrs later Jan 21, 2026 07:55PM (Manila Time) | 9 km (6 mi) N from Main Shock. |
| Aftershock | M 3.3 |
11 hrs later Jan 21, 2026 08:54PM (Manila Time) | 14 km (8 mi) NW from Main Shock. |
| Aftershock | M 4.7 |
11 hrs later Jan 21, 2026 08:59PM (Manila Time) | 35 km (22 mi) NE from Main Shock. |
| Aftershock | M 3.3 |
12 hrs later Jan 21, 2026 09:26PM (Manila Time) | 18 km (11 mi) NW from Main Shock. |
| Aftershock | M 3.1 |
14 hrs later Jan 21, 2026 11:13PM (Manila Time) | 19 km (11 mi) NW from Main Shock. |
| Aftershock | M 3.3 |
15 hrs later Jan 22, 2026 12:17AM (Manila Time) | 17 km (11 mi) WNW from Main Shock. |
| Aftershock | M 3.2 |
15 hrs later Jan 22, 2026 12:21AM (Manila Time) | 14 km (8 mi) NW from Main Shock. |
| Aftershock | M 3.0 |
18 hrs later Jan 22, 2026 03:18AM (Manila Time) | 6 km (4 mi) WSW from Main Shock. |
| Aftershock | M 3.3 |
22 hrs later Jan 22, 2026 07:18AM (Manila Time) | 7 km (4 mi) WNW from Main Shock. |
| Aftershock | M 3.4 |
1 day later Jan 22, 2026 09:50AM (Manila Time) | 10 km (6 mi) WNW from Main Shock. |
| Aftershock | M 3.1 |
1 day later Jan 22, 2026 10:31AM (Manila Time) | 27 km (17 mi) N from Main Shock. |
| Aftershock | M 3.3 |
1 day later Jan 22, 2026 01:51PM (Manila Time) | 16 km (10 mi) WNW from Main Shock. |
| Aftershock | M 3.2 |
1 day later Jan 22, 2026 04:38PM (Manila Time) | 6 km (4 mi) NNW from Main Shock. |
| Aftershock | M 3.3 |
2 days later Jan 23, 2026 12:17AM (Manila Time) | 14 km (9 mi) WNW from Main Shock. |
| Aftershock | M 3.0 |
2 days later Jan 23, 2026 12:33AM (Manila Time) | 11 km (7 mi) NNW from Main Shock. |
| Aftershock | M 3.0 |
2 days later Jan 23, 2026 01:27AM (Manila Time) | 22 km (14 mi) NNW from Main Shock. |
| Aftershock | M 3.4 |
2 days later Jan 23, 2026 05:27AM (Manila Time) | 12 km (8 mi) NNW from Main Shock. |
| Aftershock | M 3.6 |
2 days later Jan 23, 2026 08:21AM (Manila Time) | 12 km (7 mi) NNW from Main Shock. |
| Aftershock | M 3.1 |
2 days later Jan 23, 2026 06:10PM (Manila Time) | 14 km (8 mi) NW from Main Shock. |
| Aftershock | M 3.1 |
2 days later Jan 23, 2026 08:18PM (Manila Time) | 3 km (2 mi) SSE from 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.
It's always adviced to be cautious of the risk of a larger shock following any significant earthquake, however this risk is fairly small. There is a roughly 94 percent change that no larger main shock will follow in the days following this earthquake.
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 25th, 2025, when a 5.4 magnitude earthquake hit 270 km (168 mi) further east. An even stronger magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck on January 10th, 2017.
In total, 72 earthquakes with a magnitude of 5.3 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 2 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 5.3. Earthquakes of this strength are unlikely to trigger a tsunami. |
This earthquake occurred at a depth of of 10 km (6 mi). Earthquakes this shallow could trigger a tsunami. |
Sources
Last updated 26/01/26 19:08 (). 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.
- US Geographic Society (USGS): Earthquake us7000rqmd
- European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC): Earthquake 20260119_0000255
- Geonames.org: World Cities Database
- Google Maps: Static API
- Earthquakelist.org: Historic Earthquakes Database
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