# M5.5 Earthquake: 13 km SW of Burias, Philippines

Updated 09:05 UTC, 29 Oct 2026. Canonical: https://monitorworld.app/earthquake/2026-10-08-m5-5-burias-philippines

A **magnitude 5.5** earthquake struck 13 km SW of Burias, Philippines at 08:07 UTC on 8 Oct 2026, at a depth of 58 km, reported by USGS. USGS PAGER issued a green alert: little or no damage and a low chance of deaths. USGS did not set a tsunami flag for this quake. So far 5 aftershocks of M2.5+ have been recorded within 50 km, the largest a M5.2.

## Key numbers

- Magnitude (USGS): **M5.5** (mww)
- Depth: **58 km** (shallow)
- USGS PAGER impact alert: **GREEN** (estimated impact)
- Aftershocks M2.5+ so far: **5** (within 50 km)

## Nearest places

- [14 KM] Burias, Soccsksargen, Philippines (14 km from the epicentre, quake was SW of here, population 4,066)
- [23 KM] Glan, Soccsksargen, Philippines (23 km from the epicentre, quake was S of here, population 24,256)
- [40 KM] Malapatan, Soccsksargen, Philippines (40 km from the epicentre, quake was SSW of here, population 19,439)
- [48 KM] Lun Pequeño, Soccsksargen, Philippines (48 km from the epicentre, quake was SSW of here, population 11,541)
- [104 KM] Koronadal, Soccsksargen, Philippines (104 km from the epicentre, quake was SSE of here, population 195,398)
- [54 KM] General Santos, Philippines (54 km from the epicentre, quake was S of here, population 722,000)
- [101 KM] Malita, Philippines (101 km from the epicentre, quake was SSW of here, population 118,000)
- [127 KM] Digos, Philippines (127 km from the epicentre, quake was S of here, population 116,000)

## Strongest aftershocks so far

- [MED] [M5.2 · 6 km NW of Balangonan, Philippines](https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us7000ttlc) (2026-10-28 01:11 UTC, 46 km deep, USGS)
- [MED] [M5.1 · 7 km N of Balangonan, Philippines](https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us7000ttkk) (2026-10-27 23:43 UTC, 58 km deep, USGS)
- [LOW] [M4.9 · 1 km WSW of Butulan, Philippines](https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us7000ttnq) (2026-10-28 12:14 UTC, 10 km deep, USGS)
- [LOW] [M4.8 · 8 km SE of Sarangani, Philippines](https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us6000u21y) (2026-10-13 15:21 UTC, 66 km deep, USGS)
- [LOW] [M4.4 · 26 km WSW of Balangonan, Philippines](https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us6000u3ln) (2026-10-20 12:32 UTC, 10 km deep, USGS)

## Key context

### Tectonic setting

**Philippine Mobile Belt.** The Philippines sit between two subduction zones: the Philippine Sea Plate dives west along the Philippine Trench, and the South China Sea floor dives east along the Manila Trench. The Philippine Fault runs through the islands in between; it caused the M7.7 Luzon quake of 1990.

The USGS moment tensor shows strike-slip faulting: the two sides of the fault slid sideways past each other.

At 58 km it was a shallow quake (USGS counts 0 to 70 km as shallow). Most damaging quakes are in this range.

### Shaking and impact

USGS PAGER estimates the impact from the shaking and the number of people exposed. For this quake it issued a green alert: little or no damage and a low chance of deaths (fatality alert: green, economic loss alert: green). PAGER is an early estimate and can change as reports come in.

The USGS ShakeMap estimates the strongest shaking at intensity V on the Modified Mercalli scale (moderate).

16 people sent a "Did You Feel It?" report to USGS, with the strongest reported intensity V (moderate).

Estimated shaking in nearby towns, from USGS PAGER.

| Town | Population | Estimated intensity |
| --- | --- | --- |
| General Santos | 697,315 | V (moderate) |
| Koronadal | 195,398 | IV (light) |
| Polomolok | 172,605 | IV (light) |
| Malita | 118,197 | IV (light) |
| Glan | 109,547 | V (moderate) |
| Malungun | 105,465 | IV (light) |
| Surallah | 89,340 | IV (light) |
| Banga | 89,164 | IV (light) |

### Aftershocks

This page counts quakes of M2.5 or more within 50 km after the main shock, from the USGS catalog (last checked 09:05 UTC, 29 Oct 2026): 5 aftershocks so far.

Aftershocks are normal after a quake of this size. They usually become less frequent over days and weeks, but a strong aftershock can still happen, and in a few sequences a later quake is larger. No one can predict their exact time or size; follow the official agency for your area.

### Earthquake history within 250 km

Since 1976, USGS lists 1,310 quakes of M5 or more within 250 km of this epicentre, about 26 a year. Since 1900 the same circle had 501 quakes of M5.5 or larger.

Largest earlier quakes within 250 km, USGS catalog since 1900 (M6+).

| Magnitude | Place (USGS) | Date | Depth |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| M8.3 | 1918 Mindanao, Philippines Earthquake | 1918-08-15 | 20 km |
| M8.1 | 1924 Mindanao, Philippines Earthquake | 1924-04-14 | 15 km |
| M8.0 | 1972 Mindanao, Philippines Earthquake | 1972-12-02 | 51 km |
| M7.9 | 19 km WNW of Palimbang, Philippines | 1976-08-16 | 33 km |
| M7.9 | 47 km ESE of Kalbay, Philippines | 1913-03-14 | 15 km |
| M7.8 | 25 km SW of Kablalan, Philippines | 2026-06-07 | 57 km |
| M7.8 | 161 km SE of Sarangani, Philippines | 1936-04-01 | 35 km |
| M7.7 | 228 km SW of Sarangani, Philippines | 1972-06-11 | 333 km |

### Official information

- [PHIVOLCS (Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology)](https://www.phivolcs.dost.gov.ph/)
- [EMSC (European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre)](https://www.emsc-csem.org/)
- [USGS event page for this quake](https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us6000u0x4) (ShakeMap, PAGER, felt reports)
- [tsunami.gov](https://www.tsunami.gov/) for US tsunami bulletins

### Data status

USGS review status: reviewed. Magnitude type: mww. USGS last updated this event on 18 Oct 2026 at 06:07 UTC. Magnitude, depth and location can still be revised; this page keeps the same address if they change.

## FAQ

### How strong was the earthquake near Burias, Philippines?

USGS measured it at magnitude 5.5 (mww), 58 km deep. The strongest estimated shaking was intensity V (moderate). Quakes of M5 to 5.9 are classed as moderate.

### Was there a tsunami?

USGS did not set a tsunami flag for this quake. If you are on a coast and feel strong or long shaking, move to high ground anyway, and follow local officials.

### Was the earthquake felt?

Yes. 16 people reported it to USGS "Did You Feel It?", with reports up to intensity V.

### Will there be more aftershocks?

Aftershocks are likely to continue for days to weeks, becoming less frequent over time. So far 5 aftershocks of M2.5+ have been listed. Most sequences do not produce a larger quake, but some do. No one can predict the time or size of the next one; follow PHIVOLCS (Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology).

### What should I do after a strong earthquake?

Expect aftershocks: Drop, Cover and Hold On when shaking starts again. Check for injuries and damage, stay out of damaged buildings, and use text messages instead of calls so emergency lines stay free. On a coast, move to high ground after strong shaking. Follow your local officials.

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## Sources

- [USGS event page](https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us6000u0x4): magnitude, location, ShakeMap, PAGER and Did You Feel It? data for this event. Public domain. Credit: U.S. Geological Survey.
- [USGS ComCat (FDSN event web service)](https://earthquake.usgs.gov/fdsnws/event/1/): the USGS earthquake catalog, used for the 30-year counts, history and aftershocks. Public domain. Credit: U.S. Geological Survey.
- [USGS Geoserve](https://earthquake.usgs.gov/ws/geoserve/): nearest places to the epicentre.
- [GeoNames](https://www.geonames.org/): large-city coordinates, CC BY 4.0.

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