1968 August 02 Casiguran Earthquake

1968 August 02 Casiguran Earthquake
At 4:19 AM (local time) on August 02, 1968 an earthquake with an intensity of VIII in the
Rossi-Forel Intensity Scale rocked the town of Casiguran, Aurora. This was considered
the most severe and destructive earthquake experienced in the Philippines during the
last 20 years. Two hundred seventy (270) persons were killed and 261 were injured as
a result of the earthquake. A six-storey building in Binondo, (Ruby Tower) Manila
collapsed instantly during the quake while several major buildings near Binondo and
Escolta area in Manila sustained varying levels of structural damages. The cost of
property damage was several million dollars. Extensive landslides and large fissures
were observed in the mountainous part of the epicentral area. Tsunami was also
observed and recorded as far as observation in tide gauge station in Japan.
Date of Event August 02, 1968
Origin Time 4:19 am (20:19 GMT)
Epicenter 16.3 N Latitude 122.11 E Longitude or approximately
Magnitude Ms: 7.3 Mb: 5.9 (ISC)
Depth approximately 31 km from the surface.
1973 March 17 Ragay Gulf Earthquake
During the second field survey to the epicentral area, a 3.4 meters offset of the shoreline in
Barrio Cabong,
Guinayangan was observed. Ground displacement was laso left lateral.
Other Geologic Features:

The strong shaking of the ground during the Ragay Gulf Earthquake caused two areas along
the Calauag-Guinayangan municipal road between kms 236-238 to subside. One of the
resulting depressions was 225 meters long while the other was 95 meters long. The longer
depression was 2 kms. NW from the first.
A fissure, 15 cms. Wide with 2 unknown lenth, lies along the foothills some 200 meter nw of the
PNR terminal in Calauag. Its orientation is N80W. In Lopez, two fissures were observed along
Lopez-Jaena St. These may be due to settlement of the bank of Talolong River.
Close to the eastern bank of the Calauag River in Barrio Sumulong and Mabini, several sand
boils were found. Mudboils are formed when water- laden sediments are subjected to
compressional forces thereby causing the water and fine sands and muds to be injected into the
air through fissures or to just upwellm towards the surface.
1983 August 17 Laoag Earthquake
At 8:18 P.M. of 17 August 1983, an earthquake with a magnitude of 5.3 (Ml) on the Richter Scale and an intensity of
VII on the Rossi-Forel Scale hit the province of Ilocos Norte. The tremor was perceptible over a distance of 400
kilometers from the epicenter. This was the most sever earthquake in North-western Luzon in 52 years and probably
the second largest earthquake event to hit Laoag city and it's immediate vicinity in historical times. This earthquake
has caused death of 16 people and injuries of forty seven persons (PDE).
Date of Event August 17, 1983
Origin Time 8:17 pm (12:17 GMT)
Epicenter 18.231 N Latitude 120.860 E Longitude or approximately 30 aerial kilometers east-northeast of Laoag City.
Magnitude 6.5 Ms ( 5.3 Ml on the Richter Scale)
Depth approximately 42 km from the surface.
1976 August 17 Moro Gulf Earthquake
A few minutes after the last stroke of midnight on August 17, 1976, a violent earthquake occurred in the island of
Mindanao spawning a tsunami that devastated more than 700 kms of coastline bordering Moro Gulf in the North
Celebes Sea. This offshore event generated by Cotabato trench, a less prominent trench system in the Philippines,
was the largest tsunamigenic earthquake to have occurred in Mindanao in the last two decades. It was an earthquake
that resulted in massive destruction of properties and great loss of lives. The tsunami generated contributed
immensely to the devastation. The cities and provinces of Cotabato took the brunt of the earthquake while the
tsunami generated cast its doom on the provinces bordering Moro Gulf especially on the shores of Pagadian City.
According to surveys during the event, the tsunami was responsible for 85% of deaths, 65% of injuries and 95% of
those missing. After the sea spent its fury and rolled back to its natural flow, thousands of people were left dead,
others homeless or missing and millions of pesos lost with the damages of properties. Properties lost not only include
establishments for residential and commercial use, but also bancas that, as a whole, represents the livelihood of
hundreds of families.
Date of Event 17 August 1976

Time 12:11 A.M. (Local)
Epicenter 06.3° N, 124.0° E
Magnitude 8.1
1990 February 08 Bohol Earthquake
This shallow seated tectonic earthquake with magnitude 6.8, struck the island of Bohol at 3:15 pm, caused panic to
general public, damaged several houses and infrastructure and presented several geologic disturbances. Its
epicenter was located about 17 kilometers east of Tagbilaran City with a maximum felt intensity of VIII, based on
Rossi-Forel Intensity Scale, in the towns of Jagna, Duero and Guindulman all situated on the lower area of the NE
quadrant of the island. It was felt at intensity VII in Garcia Hernandez, Loboc, Valencia and Anda, Intensity VI in
Tagbilaran City, the rest among the 16 municipalities of Bohol and in the neighboring islands of Cebu and Camiguin.
Intensity V was felt over areas of Cagayan de Oro in Mindanao, Dumaguete City in Negros, Intensity IV in the areas
of Canlaon in Negros and Cotabato City in Mindanao. Reported felt intensities ranging from I to III was also felt as far
as Palo in Leyte and Bislig in Surigao.
Observed geologic phenomena related to this event include ground fissures, landslides, rockfalls, ground subsidence
and collapse, sand/mud fountaining and sudden increase on the sea level. Most of the manifestations were
particularly observed and experienced by the towns of Jagna, Valencia, Duero, Guindulman and Garcia Hernandez.
The force of the incoming waves from the sea caused Alijuan River in Duero to flow inland immediately after the
earthquake.
Based on the orientation of the main fracture zones, focal mechanism solution and aftershock distribution, the
earthquake may have represented subsurface rupture along segments of the NE-SW Alicia thrust fault. Studies by
the Bureau of Mines (1986), however, point to the fact that in most portion of the fault is being overlained by Miocene
to recent limestone which does not reflect any deformation suggesting that the fault has been inactive for quite a long
time. This would pose a question as to whether the earthquake represented reactivation of an old fault or indicated
new fault movement in the island.
Impact and damage documentation revealed that the worstly affected portion of the island was sustained by the
eastern and southeastern coastal areas, observed to be mostly underlained by alluvial deposits which have tendency
to amplify ground motions generated by an earthquake. Likewise, most of the damaged buildings were either
old/poorly-built or lacked the necessary reinforcements to resist strong ground shaking. About 3,000 units of houses,
buildings and churches were affected and damaged where a total of 182 were totally collapsed including two
historical churches built centuries ago. Some 200,000 sq.m. of fishpond in the town of Guindulman sustained damage
due to cracked and collapsed dikes. Mud eruptions on these fishpens contributed to the death of fishes and prawns.
The bridge connecting the towns of Jagna and Duero collapsed. Roads to Anda sustained cracks and fissuring.
Landslides and rockfalls blocked some portions of the roads that caused inaccessibility to some areas between Anda
and Garcia Hernandez.
Six fatalities were reported and more than 200 were injured in the event. About 46,000 people were displaced by the
event and at least 7,000 among them were rendered homeless. Estimated damage to properties is amounting to 154
million pesos.
1990 June 14 Panay Earthquake
On 14 June 1990, an earthquake measuring 7.1 in the Richter Scale hit Panay Island at 3:41 P.M., killing
8 and injuring 41 people. The epicenter was located at 11.34°North latitude; 122.10° East longitude, in the
vicinity of Culasi, Antique. The depth was computed to be 15 kilometers. It was generated by fault
movement in the collisional zone off western Panay Island.

1968 August 02 Casiguran Earthquake

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Date of Event 17 August 1976

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