USGS · September 23, 2026
Magnitude 4.2 earthquake near Malita, Philippines
A magnitude 4.2 earthquake was recorded near 21 km ENE of Lais, Philippines on Sep 23, 2026, 10:19 PM (local time at the epicentre — UTC+8), at a depth of about 150.3 km, according to USGS.
USGSIntermediate (70–300 km)Reviewed by a seismologist
Updated 2026-09-23 18:17 UTC
The full record
- Magnitude
- M 4.2 · body-wave magnitude
- Location
- 21 km ENE of Lais, Philippines
- Local time at the epicentre
- Sep 23, 2026, 10:19 PM — UTC+8
- Time (UTC)
- 2026-09-23 14:19 UTC
- Depth
- 150.3 km · Intermediate (70–300 km)
- Coordinates
- 6.426, 125.822
- Felt reports
- No “Did You Feel It?” reports submitted
- Tsunami
- No tsunami evaluation was flagged for this earthquake.
- Significance
- 271 / 1000 · routine event
- Solution quality
- 36 seismic stations used · 108° azimuthal gap (well-constrained epicentre)
- Review status
- Reviewed by a seismologist
- Catalog
- USGS
Epicentre and nearby recent earthquakes
The highlighted circle is this earthquake. Smaller circles are other events recorded nearby in the last 30 days.
What the shaking was like
At this depth the energy spreads out before it reaches the surface, so shaking is usually weaker but felt over a wider area.
No intensity estimate was published for this event, which is usual for small earthquakes far from populated areas.
Felt it yourself? USGS collects first-hand reports through “Did You Feel It?”, and those reports are what produce the community intensity above.
Who lives nearby
About 142,320 people live in towns within 30 km of the epicentre, and 4,496,982 within 100 km. Distances are from the epicentre to the town centre.
| Place | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Lais | 22.0 km WSW | 2,298 |
| Malita | 23.3 km W | 118,438 |
| Talagutong | 24.7 km SW | 7,983 |
| Lacaron | 27.0 km W | 2,751 |
| Bolila | 28.3 km WSW | 2,125 |
| Tubalan | 29.3 km WNW | 4,164 |
| Kinangan | 29.6 km WSW | 4,561 |
| Pangian | 30.9 km W | 4,001 |
| Buhangin | 31.2 km WNW | 4,391 |
| Luzon | 31.8 km ENE | 3,211 |
Earthquake history in this area
12 earthquakes of magnitude 4.5+ have been recorded within 200 km of this epicentre since 1960, in the Philippines.
Other earthquakes near this epicentre
9 other events within 100 km in the last 30 days.
M 4.2 8 km WSW of Baliton, Philippines
M 4.0 15 km WNW of Sugal, Philippines
M 4.4 7 km WNW of Kalbay, Philippines
M 4.5 39 km SE of Bobon, Philippines
M 4.4 4 km ENE of Baliton, Philippines
M 4.2 33 km ESE of Mangili, Philippines
M 4.4 54 km ENE of Pondaguitan, Philippines
M 4.9 5 km NW of Culaman, PhilippinesFelt · 1
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Frequently asked questions
How strong was the 21 km ENE of Lais, Philippines earthquake?
Magnitude 4.2 (body-wave magnitude), at a depth of 150.3 km. At this depth the energy spreads out before it reaches the surface, so shaking is usually weaker but felt over a wider area.
Exactly when did it happen?
Sep 23, 2026, 10:19 PM (local time at the epicentre — UTC+8). In universal time: 2026-09-23 14:19 UTC.
Was it felt?
No “Did You Feel It?” reports were submitted for this event. Small earthquakes usually pass unnoticed except very close to the epicentre.
Was there a tsunami warning?
No tsunami evaluation was flagged for this earthquake.
Which towns are closest to the epicentre?
The closest is Lais, 22.0 km WSW (population 2,298).
Are earthquakes normal in this area?
Yes. The largest earthquake recorded within 200 km since 1960 was magnitude 8.0 (1972 Mindanao, Philippines Earthquake, 1972), and 9 further events were recorded within 100 km in the last 30 days.
How do I get alerts for the next earthquake here?
Install the free SeismoWatch Android app, draw a box over this area, set a minimum magnitude, and turn alerts on.
About this page
Event data: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC), in Venezuela FUNVISIS and in Brazil the RSBR through the Centro de Sismologia da USP. Populated places and time zones: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). Preliminary solutions are revised as more observations arrive.