On October 10, 2025, a doublet earthquake consisting of two events measuring 7.4 and 6.7–6.8 struck eastern Mindanao in the Philippines. Both events raised tsunami warnings for seven provinces in the Philippines and parts of Indonesia, with minor tsunami waves observed. Thousands of aftershocks were recorded.
As of October 24, the Philippines' National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported 10 deaths, 176 injuries, and at least in infrastructure damage. Nearly 25,600 homes were damaged, and numerous provinces and local government units suspended work and classes. Tremors were felt across Mindanao and beyond, including in Cebu and Antique in the Visayas, and as far as the Bicol Region in Luzon.
The earthquake struck only eleven days after the magnitude 6.9 earthquake in Cebu; however, it was determined that these events were not related.
Tectonic setting
The Philippine Trench runs east of the Philippine archipelago and represents a major subduction zone where the Philippine Sea plate subducts westwards. At its southern portion, it runs north–south from the eastern coast of Mindanao to the northern part of Halmahera Island in Indonesia. The convergence rate along the trench varies from per year. Notable earthquakes along this zone occurred in 1992, 2012, 2021 and 2023.
Earthquakes
For the first event, PHIVOLCS initially recorded a moment magnitude () of 7.6 and a depth of , while the United States Geological Survey (USGS) put the magnitude and depth at 7.4 and , respectively.
Shortly after, PHIVOLCS downgraded the magnitude to 7.4 with a depth of . Intensity VI (Very strong) shaking was reported in Manay, with the intensity reaching V (Strong) in Davao City, and IV (Moderately strong) in Bislig, Cebu City, and Antique in the Visayas, and Sorsogon City in southern Luzon. In Indonesia, the earthquake was also felt with an intensity of IV (Light) in Tahuna and II (Weak) in Manado.
At 19:12 PHT (11:12 UTC) on October 10, a 6.7 or 6.8 event struck the same region. Intensity VI (Very strong) shaking was reported in Manay, while tremors were felt as far as Zamboanga del Sur and Northern Samar. PHIVOLCS considered the earthquake a separate event and classified the sequence as a doublet earthquake. PHIVOLCS Director Teresito C. Bacolcol noted that the last large doublet earthquakes in the region were the 1992 Mindanao earthquakes, and the December 2023 Mindanao earthquake, adding that doublet earthquakes are “not unique” to the Philippine Trench region.
PHIVOLCS reported that both events were caused by a rupture on the Philippine Trench. The USGS reported that the first events occurred due to oblique reverse faulting. According to a finite fault model released by the USGS, the earthquake rupture extended about by , with significant slip of up to estimated within a small radius of the hypocenter. The entire rupture process took just over 30 seconds with the greatest phase of seismic moment release occurring about 15 seconds after initiation.
Tsunami
PHIVOLCS issued a tsunami warning, predicting that tsunami waves exceeding could strike Mindanao's eastern coast by 11:45 PST. The tsunami warning was issued for the provinces of Davao Oriental, Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Eastern Samar, Southern Leyte, and Leyte. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center warned of hazardous waves within of the epicenter which raised possibility for smaller waves as far away as Palau. Authorities in Indonesia issued a tsunami warning covering northern Sulawesi and Papua. Johnny Pimentel, the governor of Surigao del Sur, ordered the evacuation of coastal residents. Residents in Mati, Davao Oriental fled to higher ground, with seawater in Barangay Dahican observed to be receding. A wave struck Tandag. In Davao City, a high tsunami was observed. Tsunamis with heights of were observed in Beo, Talaud Islands Regency, was observed in Bere Bere, Morotai Island Regency, and in Talengen, Sangihe Islands Regency. PHIVOLCS canceled the tsunami warning at 13:43 PST (05:43 UTC).
Following the 6.7–6.8 event, another tsunami warning was issued by PHIVOLCS at 19:12 PHT, covering the provinces of Surigao del Sur, Surigao del Norte, and Davao Oriental and affecting up to 1.8 million people, with waves forecast to reach . This warning was cancelled at 23:12 PHT.
Aftershocks As of October 24, 2025, at least 1,629 aftershocks, ranging in magnitude from 1.2 to 5.8, had been recorded following the doublet earthquakes, with at least 19 being felt.
Impact On October 24, the Philippines' National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported that a total of 362,644 families, or 1,511,900 people, were affected. Some 25,600 houses were damaged, of which 1,190 were destroyed. Damage to infrastructure was estimated at . The NDRRMC also reported 10 deaths and 176 injuries.
The Department of Education's Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Service (DRRMS) reported around 12,399 schools across Mindanao and parts of the Visayas were affected by the earthquake, with nearly 947 schools suspending classes, 89,691 learners and 4,188 teachers affected, including 137 injured learners and 49 teaching staff, and 1,419 damaged and 376 destroyed classrooms. The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines said four transmission lines and three power plants went down following the earthquake. At least 10 substations also tripped. Telecommunications company Globe Telecom stated that eight provinces had disrupted communications due to the tremors. The Philippine National Police said 18 police stations were damaged, while the municipal police station of Caraga, Davao Oriental was deemed uninhabitable due to structural damage. More than 1,000 workers in the tourism sector were affected in the Davao Region, according to the Department of Tourism.
Davao Region
The twin earthquakes affected 70,985 families across Davao Oriental, while 16,553 people were directly affected by tsunami warnings. In Baganga, 468 houses were destroyed, 6,761 more were damaged and 30 people were injured. In Lupon, six people were injured 37 buildings collapsed and 601 others were damaged. The Manay District Hospital sustained cracks in its foundations and its administration building sustained massive damage, forcing the evacuation of 200 patients and the conversion of a vacant lot into a ward. The town's St. Francis Xavier Parish church sustained a collapsed canopy and cracks in its ceiling, forcing the transfer of religious events to an activity center. The entirety of Davao Oriental suffered a blackout. A landslide occurred in Manay, where 38 schools were destroyed, 92 people were injured, 317 homes collapsed and 3,672 others were damaged. In Tarragona, 124 homes collapsed and 2,823 others were damaged, as well as a bridge. In Mati, 46 people were injured, 25 homes collapsed and 1,013 others and seven schools were damaged. Roads from Caraga town to Mati were blocked by debris and fallen electric poles. In Caraga, 55 people were injured, 237 homes were destroyed and 2,809 others were damaged, while in Cateel, 21 people were injured, 29 homes were destroyed and 2,225 others were damaged. Nine people were injured, five homes collapsed and 27 others were damaged in Banaybanay, and minor damage to schools occurred in Boston. Two roads in Lupon were deemed impassable. At least 315 homes and all public schools were damaged and 50 people were injured in Governor Generoso.
Across Davao del Norte, 72 homes collapsed and 1,029 others were damaged. In Tagum, a building of Tagum Doctors College and the Tagum City Flyover shook heavily during the earthquake. Tagum Doctors Hospital experienced major wall cracks and Tagum Doctors College was sealed off due to major structural damage. The city recorded 496 damaged homes, of which 22 had collapsed. Meanwhile, Tagum City Hall suffered partial damage due to broken glass panels, falling debris, and hairline cracks. A government official in Tagum said mass panic broke out at a government event when the earthquake struck. Students at Davao de Oro State College gathered outside school buildings following the earthquake. The Ateneo de Davao University and Mapúa Malayan Colleges Mindanao sustained damages, while the University of the Philippines Mindanao shifted classes to asynchronous mode and work-from-home basis until October 13, 2025. Passengers and employees of the Francisco Bangoy International Airport immediately rushed out, while the airport itself sustained minor damage. Passengers in a plane which just landed at the airport were stranded. Minor damage occurred to the logistics building in Dipolog Airport. Two passenger aircraft travelling from Manila to Davao were diverted to Cebu and General Santos respectively. Patients were evacuated from the Southern Philippines Medical Center and the Davao Oriental Provincial Medical Center. Business process outsourcing employees evacuated to a boulevard in Davao City. In Davao City, 347 people either fainted or were injured.
Police stations in Panabo and Talaingod sustained damage. Chemical spills occurred in San Pedro College and Mapúa Malayan Colleges Mindanao. In Digos, 12 students were hospitalized due to panic attacks. A classroom in Montevista collapsed and a landslide occurred beside the road linking Barangays Camantangan and Canidkid of the same municipality. The Supreme Court of the Philippines said 36 courts in the Davao Region were damaged. In Davao de Oro, 15,421 homes were damaged or destroyed, of which 306 collapsed. Three roads were damaged in Monkayo: two of them were deemed impassable while one was deemed passable for light vehicles. A bridge in a national road in Davao City was only passable in one lane. Power outages were experienced in Mawab, Monkayo, and Mabini in the province of Davao de Oro. In Monkayo, 1,314 homes were damaged and 22 others collapsed, while 5,104 homes were damaged or destroyed in Maragusan, 3,937 homes were damaged in Mawab and 103 buildings collapsed in Pantukan.
Elsewhere
Across Caraga Region, 1,751 houses were damaged, 15 of them severely. In Agusan del Sur, 11 homes collapsed and 814 others were damaged, along with a bridge in Talacogon and a building of the Philippine Normal University campus in Prosperidad. During evacuation, students at the Agusan del Sur National High School fainted. In Surigao del Sur, four homes collapsed while 922 others were damaged, including 495 in San Agustin, 166 in Bislig and 146 in Lingig. A bridge in Butuan was temporarily closed following reports of a crack and was inspected by the city mayor, Lawrence Fortun. Some structures were damaged in Iligan and Cagayan de Oro, while a landslide occurred in Camiguin. Power outages occurred in Misamis Oriental and Davao City. Workers from the Misamis Oriental capitol building in Cagayan de Oro rushed outdoors. Parts of Robinsons Butuan collapsed due to the detachment of a section of the mall's exterior cladding. About 80 people in South Cotabato were hospitalized due to quake-induced hyperventilation. The Makilala–Allah Valley Road in Tulunan was slightly damaged but was deemed passable. A road and a bridge in Talacogon were deemed impassable to all vehicles. Power outages were caused in six barangays in Butuan. In the Dinagat Islands, seven seaports were deemed non-operational. In Surigao City, 47 passengers were stranded in the local port. Six houses were damaged in Santa Josefa. In Valencia, Bukidnon, 26 government and private school buildings, alongside offices, stages, and barangay halls, sustained cracks or partial structural damage; the most affected areas were in Mount Nebo, Bagontaas and Kahaponan, which each reported multiple classrooms with visible cracks. In Lutayan, Sultan Kudarat, celebrations for the town's Kanduli Festival were disrupted by the earthquake, resulting in mass panic and two teachers fainting.