October by the numbers
As usual, most quakes were too small to feel. Here's how October compares with September:
| Magnitude | October | September | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below 2.0 | 673 | 656 | Detected only by instruments |
| 2.0 – 2.9 | 907 | 987 | Rarely felt |
| 3.0 – 3.9 | 219 | 260 | Often felt nearby |
| 4.0 – 4.9 | 47 | 39 | Felt widely; damage is rare |
| 5.0 – 5.9 | 9 | 1 | Can cause damage if shallow and near towns |
| 6.0 and above | 0 | 0 | None |
| Total | 1,855 | 1,943 |
The busiest day was October 3, with 89 recorded quakes. The quietest days, October 16 and 22, had 39 each. Of all the quakes, 94% were shallow (less than 70 km deep), 115 were intermediate depth, and 4 were deeper than 300 km.
The big one: M5.9 off Surigao del Sur
The month's strongest activity came in a burst on October 29, offshore east of Lingig, Surigao del Sur, near the Philippine Trench:
- 11:17 AM: magnitude 5.7, about 126 km ENE of Lingig, 33 km deep
- 11:19 AM: magnitude 5.9, about 116 km ENE of Lingig, 16 km deep. This was the strongest quake of the month.
- 3:31 PM: magnitude 5.5, about 128 km ENE of Lingig, 32 km deep
Two strong quakes two minutes apart, followed by a third that afternoon, is a common pattern on large subduction faults like the Philippine Trench. PHIVOLCS recorded 52 quakes in the area from October 29 to 31. Classes were suspended in Lingig as a precaution, and PHIVOLCS said no damage was expected. The epicenters were more than 100 km offshore, which limited the shaking on land.
Why early reports said 5.6 or 5.7
Some news reports gave slightly different magnitudes and distances for these quakes. That's normal: preliminary automatic estimates are revised once analysts review more station data. The figures here are from PHIVOLCS's final monthly list. Read more in how earthquakes are monitored in the Philippines.
The 10 strongest earthquakes of October 2026
| Mag. | Date & time | Location (PHIVOLCS) | Depth |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5.9 | Oct 29, 11:19 AM | 116 km ENE of Lingig (Surigao del Sur) | 16 km |
| 5.7 | Oct 29, 11:17 AM | 126 km ENE of Lingig (Surigao del Sur) | 33 km |
| 5.6 | Oct 8, 4:07 PM | 21 km NW of Balut Island (Davao Occidental) | 25 km |
| 5.5 | Oct 29, 3:31 PM | 128 km ENE of Lingig (Surigao del Sur) | 32 km |
| 5.1 | Oct 28, 7:43 AM | 19 km SSE of Glan (Sarangani) | 15 km |
| 5.1 | Oct 16, 5:13 PM | 73 km NE of Baganga (Davao Oriental) | 2 km |
| 5.0 | Oct 29, 3:56 AM | 341 km SSE of Balut Island (Davao Occidental) | 27 km |
| 5.0 | Oct 28, 9:11 AM | 23 km SSE of Glan (Sarangani) | 18 km |
| 5.0 | Oct 6, 9:11 PM | 62 km WNW of Sibutu (Tawi-Tawi) | 13 km |
| 4.9 | Oct 13, 2:01 PM | 21 km NNW of Dalupiri Island, Calayan (Cagayan) | 18 km |
Nine of the top ten were around Mindanao. The quakes that came closest to towns were the M5.1 and M5.0 off Glan, Sarangani on the morning of October 28, about 19–23 km from the town. A third quake, an M4.5, followed that evening.
Where the earthquakes happened
Mindanao accounted for 56% of all quakes, followed by Luzon (28%) and the Visayas (15%). The most active provinces, based on the nearest reference town in PHIVOLCS reports:
- Davao Occidental: 441 quakes, including 86 of magnitude 3+, mostly around Balut and Sarangani Islands.
- Sarangani: 170, including 128 off Glan.
- Davao Oriental: 141, along the Philippine Trench offshore.
- Surigao del Sur: 137, up sharply because of the October 29 sequence.
- Cagayan: 92, mostly around Calayan and Dalupiri Islands, including an M4.9 on October 13.
For the geology behind this pattern, see why the Philippines has so many earthquakes.
The trend since June
Monthly totals have now settled back to roughly where they were before the magnitude 7.8 Sarangani earthquake of June 8, 2026:
Earthquakes recorded per month by PHIVOLCS, April to October 2026. The M7.8 Sarangani quake struck on June 8.
The count of magnitude 4+ quakes, however, rose from 40 in September to 56 in October, mainly because of the Surigao del Sur sequence and the Glan pair. A quieter total doesn't mean the risk has gone away. Strong quakes can still happen at any time, especially along Mindanao's eastern and southern coasts.
Living near the coast in eastern or southern Mindanao?
October's strongest quakes were all offshore. If you ever feel strong or long shaking near the coast, don't wait for an official warning: move to high ground right away. Read our tsunami safety guide and make sure earthquake alerts are on on your phone.
Elsewhere in the Philippines
- Tawi-Tawi: an M5.0 west-northwest of Sibutu on October 6.
- Northern Samar: an M4.8 offshore, about 108 km NE of Mapanas, on October 21.
- Northern Luzon: steady activity around Calayan and Dalupiri Islands, including an M4.9 on October 13.
- Cebu: 31 small quakes near Bogo, all below M3.6. Activity from the 2025 Bogo earthquake is still fading.
Switch the time window to "30 days" to see every recent quake, the active faults, and daily activity.
Frequently asked questions
How many earthquakes hit the Philippines in October 2026?
PHIVOLCS recorded 1,855 earthquakes, about 60 a day. 626 were magnitude 2.5 or higher, 56 were magnitude 4.0 or higher, and 9 reached magnitude 5.0 or higher.
What was the strongest earthquake in October 2026?
A magnitude 5.9 on October 29 at 11:19 AM, about 116 km east-northeast of Lingig, Surigao del Sur, 16 km deep. PHIVOLCS said no damage was expected.
Were there more earthquakes in October than in September?
Fewer in total (1,855 against 1,943) but more strong ones: 56 of magnitude 4+ against 40, and 9 of magnitude 5+ against 1.
Are the Sarangani aftershocks still happening?
Yes. Davao Occidental and Sarangani were again the most active provinces, but overall activity is close to pre-June levels.
Related: September 2026 earthquake recap, aftershocks explained, and magnitude vs. intensity explained.
Data: PHIVOLCS monthly earthquake lists for April to October 2026, retrieved November 5, 2026. Counts include all events PHIVOLCS listed for each month, and agencies may revise them. The Mindanao, Visayas and Luzon split is approximate, based on epicenter latitude. School suspension and damage assessment for the October 29 quakes: Philippine news reports citing PHIVOLCS and local officials.