The 2019 Cotabato earthquakes were an earthquake swarm which struck the province of Cotabato on the island of Mindanao in the Philippines in October 2019. Three of these earthquakes were above 6.0 on the moment magnitude scale with a Mercalli intensity of VIII. More than 40 people have been reported dead or missing and nearly 800 were injured as a result of these events.

Tectonic setting Mindanao lies across the complex convergent boundary between the Sunda plate and the Philippine Sea plate. Part of the oblique convergence between these plates is taken up by subduction along the Cotabato Trench. The strike-slip component of the convergence is accommodated partly by the Philippine fault system and partly by the Cotabato Fault System, a network of mainly NW-SE trending sinistral (left-lateral) strike-slip faults that form the boundary between the Cotabato Arc and the Central Mindanao Volcanic Belt. In the area of the October 2019 earthquakes series, the individual faults include the NW-SE trending South Columbio Fault, North Columbio Fault, M'Lang Fault, Makilala–Malungon Fault and Tangbulan Fault, and the SW-NE trending Makilala Fault and Balabag Fault.

Earthquakes M≥5.0

Events at or above 5.0 associated with the 2019 Cotabato earthquakes Date Time (UTC) Magnitude Intensity Depth Location 11:37:06 6.4 VIII 16.1 km (10.0 mi) ENE of Columbio 12:09:31 5.5 VI ENE of Columbio 22:52:18 5.0 V W of Magsaysay 11:44:28 5.2 III S of Magsaysay 08:55:32 5.2 V N of Lambayong 11:50:35 5.0 V WNW of Kiblawan 11:59:43 5.1 V NW of Kiblawan 01:04:44 6.6 VIII 15.0 km (9.3 mi) E of Bual 02:22:35 5.1 V SE of Saguing 02:42:39 6.1 VII E of Bagontapay 08:33:12 5.4 V E of Bagontapay 08:46:03 5.2 V SW of Dolo 21:22:07 5.0 V W of Magsaysay 01:11:19 6.5 VIII 10.0 km (6.2 mi) NW of Bulatukan

Major earthquakes

October 16 The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) reported that an earthquake of 6.3 magnitude was recorded at 19:37 PST (UTC+8) with a depth of 10.0 km kilometers (recorded as 6.4 at a depth of 12.8 km by the USGS). The epicenter was 7 kilometers ENE of Columbio, 22 kilometers southeast of Tulunan, Cotabato where the earthquake was felt at Intensity VII. VII was also reached at M'lang and Kidapawan. Intensity VI was reached at Tacurong, Santo Niño in South Cotabato, and Digos in Davao del Sur. The earthquake was a result of sinistral movement on a NW-SE trending strike-slip fault.

+Magnitude 6.31.  "Earthquake Information – 16 Oct 2019 – 07:37:04 PM". PHIVOLCS. Archived from the original on December 2, 2019. Retrieved October 16, 2019.PEIS REPORTED INTENSITIESIntensityLocationTulunan, M'lang, Makilala and Kidapawan, CotabatoDigos, Davao del Sur; Santo Nino, South Cotabato; Tacurong, Sultan KudaratPresident Roxas and Pikit, Cotabato; Koronadal, Lake Sebu, Polomolok, Tampakan and Tupi, South Cotabato; General Santos; Alabel and Malungon, Sarangani; Davao City; Kalamansig, Lebak and Palimbang, Sultan KudaratKiamba, Sarangani; Esperanza and Rosario, Agusan del Sur; Kalilangan, Quezon, Kadingilan and Damulog, Bukidnon; Mawab, Compostela Valley; Cotabato City; Matanog, Barira, and Sultan Kudarat, MaguindanaoSanta Josefa, Agusan del Sur; Iligan; Dipolog; Cagayan de Oro; Gingoog, Misamis Oriental;Butuan; Zamboanga CityHinatuan, Surigao del Sur Philippine government seismologist Renato Solidum Jr. described the quake as "moderately powerful". The National Tsunami Center issues a statement saying no present tsunami threat from the earthquake.

Three malls in Davao City reported damage following the earthquake. In General Santos, the Gaisano Mall was mostly gutted following a fire triggered by the earthquake. 143 buildings were damaged and one was destroyed. The damaged buildings included 40 houses, 70 schools, 7 health facilities, 10 commercial buildings, and 2 places of worship.

October 29 On October 29, a 6.6-magnitude earthquake struck Mindanao at a depth of 14.0 km, according to the USGS, and 7 km according to PHIVOLCS. The maximum perceived shaking was VII on both the PEIS and MMS scales. This intensity was reached in Tulunan, Makilala, Kidapawan City, Digos, and Malungon. This earthquake was caused by movement on a different, but related, strike-slip fault to the October 16 event.

Magnitude 6.61. "Earthquake Information – 29 Oct 2019 – 09:04:43 AM". PHIVOLCS. Archived from the original on October 31, 2019. Retrieved October 29, 2019. PEIS REPORTED INTENSITIESIntensityLocationTulunan and Makilala, Cotabato; Kidapawan City; Digos, Bansalan, Magsaysay, Davao del Sur and Malungon, SaranganiKoronadal City and Davao CityCotabato City; Tampakan, Surallah, Banga and Tupi, South Cotabato; General Santos; Magpet, Cotabato; Tacurong City, Kalamansig, Bagumbayan, Sultan Kudarat; Alabel, Sarangani; Kalilangan and Damulog, Bukidnon; Tagum City, Davao del NorteCagayan De Oro City; Talakag, Manolo Fortich and Libona, Bukidnon; Glan, Maitum, Maasim and Kiamba, Sarangani; Butuan City; Iligan City; Tubod and Bacolod, Lanao del NorteMolave, Zamboanga del Sur; Dipolog City, Sergio Osmeņa Sr. and Polanco, Zamboanga del Norte; Zamboanga City; Gingoog City, Misamis Oriental and Bislig CityKabasalan, Zamboanga Sibugay, Mambajao, Camiguin and Isabela City, BasilanPalo, Leyte; Dipolog City and Bislig City A major fire broke out in General Santos. There were power outages in many parts of Cotabato and locally in South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, and Sarangani. At least ten deaths were reported, with a minimum of another four hundred injured. The fatalities were reported in Arakan, Carmen, Tulunan, Makilala, Digos, and Magsaysay. School classes were suspended in parts of North Cotabato, South Cotabato, and Sultan Kudarat.

October 31 On October 31, a 6.5 magnitude earthquake struck Mindanao at a depth of 10 km according to the USGS, with the epicenter located 1 km south of Kisante. A maximum perceived shaking of VII (PEIS) was reported from Tulunan, Makilala, Kidapawan City, Santa Cruz, Matanao, Magsaysay, Bansalan and Digos. Some buildings in Davao and Soccksargen were seriously damaged and some collapsed. The death toll of these two quakes (October 29 and 31) was raised to 24, with 563 people injured, and 11 still missing. More than 300 aftershocks were recorded after the earthquake.

Magnitude 6.51. "Earthquake Information – 31 Oct 2019 – 09:11:18 AM". PHIVOLCS. Archived from the original on October 31, 2019. Retrieved October 31, 2019. PEIS REPORTED INTENSITIESIntensityLocationTulunan and Makilala, Cotabato; Kidapawan; Matanao, Bansalan, Magsaysay and Santa Cruz, Davao del Sur; DigosDavao City; Hagonoy, Davao del SurPolomolok, Tampakan, Tupi, Surallah and Sto Nino, South Cotabato; Isulan, Sultan Kudarat; Malungon, Sarangani; Koronadal; General SantosLake Sebu, South Cotabato; Lebak, Kalamansig, Pigcawayan and Esperanza, Sultan Kudarat; Kalilangan, Damulog, Kadingilan and Talakag, Bukidnon; Alabel, Malampatan and Kiamba, Sarangani; TacurongBanga, South Cotabato; Lambayon, Sultan Kudarat; Baungon, Manolo Fortich, Don Carlos, Maramag, Quezon, Libona, Valencia and Malaybalay, Bukidnon; Tubod and Kauswagan, Lanao Del Norte; Naawan, Misamis Oriental; El Salvador; Gingoog; Cagayan de Oro; Butuan; BisligSindangan and Polanco, Zamboanga del Norte; Las Nieves, Agusan del Sur; Dapitan; DipologZamboanga City A hotel in Kidapawan City collapsed following the earthquake; according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), no one was inside when the earthquake struck. The Davao City government suspended the classes on all levels. Affected residents in Makilala, Cotabato were seen begging on the highway for basic needs such as rice and tents. According to the NDRRMC, about 30,000 families or 150,000 individuals were affected by the earthquake.

December 15

The Cotabato sequence was followed by an earthquake, with a magnitude of 6.8 (ANSS) or 6.9 (PHIVOLCS), on December 15 at 14:11 PST with an epicenter in the neighboring province of Davao del Sur. It had a hypocentral depth of between 18 km (ANSS) and 9.0 km (PHIVOLCS) and a maximum felt intensity of VII MMI or VII PEIS. The greatest damage was reported from the towns of Matanao, Magsaysay, Hagonoy and Padada. The earthquake caused 13 deaths and a further 210 people were injured.

Analysis using InSAR data The sequence of four earthquakes has examined using Interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR). One study used information only from Sentinel-1, while the other also included information from ALOS-2. InSAR interferograms can be used to detect and quantify ground deformation associated with an earthquake, allowing the location and orientation of fault ruptures, epicenters and slip distributions to be estimated. For the second and third earthquakes in the sequence no information was recorded by either of the satellites between the events, so these events had to be analysed together. Sufficient data were available to allow the other two earthquakes to be analysed separately.

The two studies give similar results, confirming that the first and last major earthquakes in the sequence were caused by rupture along NW-SE trending left-lateral strike-slip faults, while the second and third resulted from rupture along SW-NE trending right-lateral strike-slip faults nearly orthogonal to the other two. One of the studies matched the four interpreted ruptures to known faults. The first event is interpreted to have ruptured the M'lang Fault, the second the Makilala Fault, the third the Balabag Fault and the last the Makilala-Malungon Fault. The observed sequence of earthquakes rupturing orthogonal strike-slip fault sets has been compared to the 2019 Ridgecrest earthquake sequence.

Landslides The earthquake sequence triggered a large number of landslides and rockslides. Municipalities affected by landslides include Kidapawan City, Antipas, Arakan, Makilala, M'Lang and Tulunan in Cotabato province; Magsaysay, Bansalan, Malalag, Matanao and Kiblawan in Davao Del Sur. Three fatalities were caused by landslides triggered by the October 29 shock with a further six people reported missing. Two fatalities were caused by landslides triggered by the October 31 shock, with a further five people reported missing.

Effects on infrastructure Damage to infrastructure in the eight most badly affected areas from the earthquakes on October 29 and 31 Province HousesSchoolsHealth facilitiesOther public structuresPlaces of worshipCommercial buildingsRoads & Bridges Destroyed Damaged Destroyed Damaged Destroyed Damaged Destroyed Damaged Destroyed Damaged Destroyed Damaged Destroyed Damaged North Cotabato 21,120 7,915 20 505 21 76 25 415 14 9 24 0 15Davao del Sur 2,185 7,505 2 260 27 1293 2 0 0 112 09Sultan Kudarat 14 24 0 132 01 02 0 0 00 00Davao Occidental 1 20 1 3 1 40 4 0 0 04 0 0Maguindanao 0 20 0 29 00 02 0 4 0 0 0 0South Cotabato 1 17 0 223 0 20 3 0 0 05 02Davao del Norte 0 0 0113 02 015 0 1 01 0 1Sarangani 0 0 13 98 00 0 1 0 0 0 1 00

Reactions International

The US Ambassador to the Philippines, Sung Kim, and the EU delegation to the Philippines both offered their condolences to the Filipino people. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi also sent his message of sympathy to Philippine Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. The Chinese government has donated ¥3 million yuan (roughly equivalent to ₱22 million pesos) to support the disaster relief efforts in Mindanao. Meanwhile, the Spanish Consulate in the Philippines pledged to donate up to 35,000 euros to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and 70,000 euros to assist people in water, hygiene and sanitation.

Domestic